Unpredictable
by MystiKoorime
Summary: AU After Botan is promoted to Hiei's new secretary, she's thrown into an unknown world filled with mysteries. From her coworkers, to her boss, to the job itself everything and anything was unfamiliar territory. Pasts are revealed, secrets unfold, and
1. Promotion

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Botan sighed as she bit her bottom lip anxiously waiting what was to come. She was told that Koenma, her boss, wanted to discuss some serious business with her. That only meant one thing- she was going to get fired. She couldn't blame him either. Everything was just falling through the cracks and her work-load didn't seem to help at all. It just widened the gaps allowing the rest of her life to fall down with it. It would start with her job, then her car, then her apartment, and life as she knows it. All right so maybe she was over exaggerating now, but can you blame the girl?

"You can come in now, Botan." Koenma's voice brought Botan out of her thoughts, and back into the real world, where she had to accept her dismissal. There are plenty of other jobs, right? She looked at Koenma sitting in his leather chair, sporting the new navy blue suit that she had helped pick out for him. It was still surprising to see her best friend, one of the biggest jokers around become one of the most prestigious men in the country. The only time he's not joking around is at work, and she certainly didn't want to be his downfall by continuing to do as badly as she did.

"Koenma, I just want to say that I'm sorry for any trouble I've caused. I understand if you want to fire me." Botan looked down at the floor, her bangs covering the pain in her eyes.

Silence filled the room as the blue haired girl waited for her boss to answer her. Ten seconds later she heard something that sounded like… a stifled laugh? "Koenma, are you laughing at me! This isn't funny!"

Koenma's laughter continued to fill the room. "I'm sorry it's just, I wasn't going to fire you Botan. In fact I was going to give you a promotion…"

Her amethyst eyes widened. "P-promotion!"

"But, since you think you deserve to be fired, I guess I could give the promotion to Ayame." Koenma's face was stern, but the taunting manner of his voice gave it all away. He shouldn't be taunting her as her boss, but as her best friend it _had_ to be done. She was just way too hard on herself sometimes.

Botan still couldn't believe it. She was getting promoted? She fought the urge to hug him and pressed on. "Not that I'm complaining, but, why?"

"What do you mean why? You deserve it. Botan, you're one of the most efficient people I know. Jagashi'll be one of the luckiest CEO's in all of Japan, having you as an assistant and all…" Koenma continued to ramble.

Relief seeped through her features as she realized the worst was over. Finally, Botan could breathe easily. She let out the breath she didn't even realize she was holding. _I'm_ _going to be promoted, and now I am Mr. Jaganshi's personal assistant._ "Wait a minute; I'm going to be Hiei Jaganshi's personal assistant? I'm the assistant of the man who owns everything that's anything in this business!"

Koenma nodded, but before he could say anything else Botan hugged tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She would've jumped up and down, but she was currently gripping Koenma fiercely as if life depended on it.

"Maybe you shouldn't be thanking me yet. You see, Hiei is currently looking for an assistant. Hiei and I go way back, so with my recommendation and your résumé you're a shoe in." Botan's once happy disposition was replaced by apprehension.

"Trust me Botan, he'd only be asking for bankruptcy and liquidation if he didn't hire you. I'm your boss and your best friend; I wouldn't put you in a situation I knew you couldn't handle." Koenma stood up from his chair and began to walk towards the door.

Botan nodded, he was right after all. "So when's the interview?" She followed him and he led her out of his office. Koenma looked down at his watch and smiled sheepishly. "It's in one hour." Before Botan could protest he began to walk away. "I've got to go now, big meeting, you know how it is. Hinageshi's got everything you need and there's a cab waiting out front for you."

"Hinageshi's got everything you need and there's a cab waiting out front for you." Botan mocked as she rolled here eyes. He said everything like it was so easy to accept. That really frustrated her sometimes.

"Hey, Hina over here!" Botan called to the frantic girl across the hall. Her face brightened as she ran up to Botan. "There you are. Here are all the things you'll need for your interview." Hinageshi handed Botan a manila folder with various sheets inside. "Don't look so frustrated Botan-chan; I know you'll do fine. Just use some of your charm on that Jaganshi guy and he won't know what hit him! You know bat your eye-lashes a few times and pout your lips! You'll definitely get the job then." Hinageshi smiled devilishly.

"Hinageshi for all we know he could be some old, ugly, pervert!" Botan blushed.

"Nuh-uh! I've seen him when I was doing some work with Koenma! He's not old or ugly; in fact he's a real looker! I can't guarantee he's not a pervert, but two out of three's not bad! I'm surprised some bimbo didn't marry him for his money yet." Hinageshi shrugged her shoulders.

Botan stifled a laugh. She shouldn't be partaking in gossip about her soon-to-be boss, leave that until you've been employed.

"Call me later so I can hear how everything worked out!" With that said Hinageshi ran off as Botan shook her head.

Koenma had that poor girl working too much lately. She was just an intern, and already she had become a workaholic. Botan would have to talk to Koenma about that later, after she had that interview… speaking of which she was probably running late for.

Pagebreak

Botan was now in an elevator waiting to reach the top floor. That was where Hiei's office was, and that was where the interviews were being held. She sighed. "I hope I'm not too late…"

"…Too late for what?" A polished voice asked.

Botan looked to her left to see a man around her age with emerald eyes, and red hair that went far past his shoulders. He had this debonair sort of feel to him, and looked as though he had knowledge far beyond his years.

_Wow, he looks like one of those princes from fairy tales._ Botan mentally shook herself out of her reverie and regained her composure after seeing the questioning stare the man was currently giving her. "I'm here for an interview with Hiei Jaganshi."

"Ah, so you're one of the interviewees. I'm Shuichi Minamano, but everyone calls me Kurama." He extended his hand, and Botan shook it.

"Botan." It looked as if Kurama wanted to say more, so she answered for him. "It's just Botan; I've kept it like that for a while."

"I see." Kurama could tell she didn't want to talk about it anymore so he quickly changed the subject. "Not to be discouraging, but you do realize almost three hundred applicants applied for the position? There's a small chance that you will even get the job."

"Well, that may be true but I'll try my hardest on the interview. I've been Koenma Daioh's secretary for the past few years, but I don't think I'll say that on the interview. I mean I want to get the job because of my own abilities, and not my acquaintances."

"Ah, that must mean you've got excellent credentials." Kurama held the elevator for a woman after letting Botan out. Then he too stepped off.

Botan blushed, being the modest person that she was. "I worked hard to be where I'm at now." _Despite what other people may think._

Kurama smiled. "I see." They walked down many halls and passed even more cubicles.

"Plus if that doesn't work I can always use my charm on him." Botan winked with a touch of mischief in her eyes. When Kurama's response was a questioning look Botan answer hurriedly, "I'm just kidding, it was a joke! I could never do that!" She watched as Kurama neared two large mahogany doors. He stopped in front of them and looked back at Botan.

"Sure it was." Kurama's eyes held the same mischief that Botan's had.

She looked at Kurama and threw him a harmless glare. It was then that her eyes shifted to a sign on the door which read Hiei Jaganshi. "So I take it this is Mr. Jaganshi's office?"

"Yes, but it seems his meeting is running late. Which means your interview won't be for another ten minutes at most."

"Hey Kurama, who's the hottie?" A voice called out from behind them. Botan turned around to be greeted with a pair of brown eyes. His hair was gelled back and he was wearing dress pants and a white shirt. He didn't look like the business type, in fact he looked as though he'd rather being wearing a pair of jeans and white t-shirt instead.

"Yeah, I bet my sister would get real angry if she knew you were putting the moves on another woman- OW! Hey sis, do you have to embarrass me in work!" The man rubbed his head where his sister hit him. He was taller than Kurama, had orange hair, and small charcoal eyes.

"Trust me bro, you're doing a great job embarrassing yourself without me around." A woman answered looking perturbed. She was tall and lean, with light brown hair that went a few inches past her shoulders. "You did have that one coming, Kuwabara." Kurama told him having lost some of his composure upon hearing Kuwabara's statement.

Botan was just standing there not able to believe that a group of such colorful characters could actually be working here. She'd never expect a young group that consisted of playful banter to be working right under Hiei Jaganshi. If this was his team, she wondered how he would be.

Shizuru smiled. "Hey, forgive these two idiots. I'm Shizuru, the carrot tops- I mean, Kazuma's older sister. The other one's Yusuke."

"Hey, I'm Botan." Botan answered walking towards them. After thirty minutes of non-stop talking they found out Botan fit in quite well with their little group.

Botan learned that Yusuke was somewhat rough around the edges, blunt, and sarcastic, however he did mean well. Kuwabara was loud-mouthed at times and a bit slow on the uptake, but he had a heart of gold and a soft spot for cats. Shizuru was his older sister, who deeply cared for him despite her condescending manner. She was always calm and collected, except when the subject of Kurama came up. That was something she'd have to ask Shizuru about in private. Shizuru was Kurama's assistant, and Kurama was Hiei's partner. Yusuke and Kuwabara were partners that worked under both Hiei and Kurama. Their jobs consisted of persuading potential business partners. Shizuru often aided them with flow charts, bar graphs, pie-charts, company rates, and anything else they might need.

"I wonder how much longer the meeting will be. I'm starting to get nervous." Botan admitted while fidgeting with the papers inside the folder nervously.

"I'll go check," Kurama stated while opening then closing the mahogany doors behind him.

"Hey don't sweat it, Botan! Just flirt with the guy for a few minutes, and show him a few of your assets, if you know what I- HEY!" Yusuke patted his head where Shizuru had hit him while mumbling something about women and their violent tendencies.

"That helps, Yusuke." Botan rolled her eyes. Hinageshi told her the same thing. It was almost uncanny how alike those two were, except Hinageshi wasn't a pervert.

Kuwabara looked down at the distressed girl. "Aw, Botan take it easy. I mean so what if there are a million other girls who might be just as good as or even better than you are. That still doesn't mean you don't have a chance…even if it is a really, really, really small one."

Botan looked at Kuwabara and could see he was really trying. "Thanks Kuwabara."

"What my idiotic brother was trying to say, was that you've got way more experience than any other girl that will come barging through his door. So hold your head up high and show that tycoon why he _needs_ you as his assistant." Shizuru put her hands on Botan's shoulders. "Okay?"

Botan nodded. "Right."

Just then Kurama opened the doors, and allowed Botan to enter. She waved goodbye as she entered the door upon hearing their cheering.

The office was huge, with all sorts of trinkets from all over the world. Polished cabinets lay against the walls, and pictures of beautiful landscapes were posted along with numerous awards and certificates. Everything looked so refined, and distinguished. She couldn't expect anything less from the notorious Hiei Jaganshi.

"Hiei should be out any moment now, ah. Here he comes." Kurama remarked and as if on cue, Hiei walked through a door in the back of the office.

_Hina was right._ Botan gazed at the man who just walked in. Hiei was a bit taller than her, but just a few inches shorter than Kurama. He had pitch black hair that made a point to disregard the rules of gravity, and his eyes were a deep crimson that seemed to pierce your soul.

"Hiei, here's the first applicant." Kurama nudged the anxious girl, and she walked forward. "Hello pleased to meet you, sir." Botan held her hand out, but he pointedly ignored it.

"Let's just get on with the interview." Hiei all but grabbed the manila folder in Botan's hands. To say the least, he was not having a good day. On top of that he had to interview a bunch of potential assistants, courtesy of Kurama of course.

Hiei sat down behind his desk uninterested, but at the same time eager to get the interview over with. "What's your name?"

"It's Botan, sir."

"Your _full_ name?"

"I go by Botan. It's been like that for a while." Botan looked down.

"Just give me your damn last name already." Hiei was becoming agitated with this girl already.

"I'm afraid that's none of your business, Mr. Jaganshi." Botan kept her resolve. She was entitled to keeping her own secrets, and just because he might be her boss didn't mean her life was an open book.

Kurama decided it would be best for him to intervene now, "Listen, the interview is on her credentials, not her last name. Why don't you take a look?"

"Fine." Hiei grumbled. He didn't have all day to waste on her anyway. "These credentials are mediocre at best," Hiei remarked while flipping through her resume.

"Excuse me, but I think they are-"

"This interview isn't about what you think, it's about these." Hiei held up the folder. "And these, are average. I need someone that's capable of handling everything that comes with this job. Not some girl who knows how to type and file documents."

"I assure you, I'll be able to handle the pressure." Botan was trying to keep her anger in check. First impressions are a big deal after all. Plus, maybe he was just stressed and didn't mean a single word he said. Everybody has their off days, right?

"It says you've got Koenma's recommendations…" Hiei trailed off.

Botan brightened at the turn of events. Even though she didn't want him to know, he did seem the least bit interested. Maybe he was impressed, and the interview would get better from here on out. "Yes. I've worked under him for quite a while now, and I-"

"-I don't want that bastard's leftovers. This interview is over."

_Leftovers?_ The word felt like a blow to her very core. She wasn't Koenma's leftovers! Her fists were clenched in attempt to keep her anger in check. Botan knew she shouldn't say anything but that asshole was pushing it. "I've tried to be patient with you, Mr. Jaganshi, but this is ridiculous! You're the most arrogant person I've ever met!" Botan continued to let out all of her frustrations, "Just because you're the owner of this business doesn't mean you have the right to treat people like dirt. Money and power does not give a person license to belittle others, and I would _never_ want to work for a bastard like you anyway!"

Kurama stood there shocked. Never had anyone spoken like that to Hiei, unless they wanted their death or something. Either this girl was incredibly foolish or remarkably brave. Kurama would like to think it she was the latter. He then saw Hiei's expression, and felt an odd sense of relief for Botan. _So that's what he was doing._

Hiei smirked. So she did have some back-bone in her. "You're hired."

"I'm what!" Botan's eyes widened, and her mouth remained ajar. "B-but I just…and you… what?" Botan continued to stammer. Kurama smiled knowingly. He knew Hiei could be brash at times, but he realized it was all some kind of tactic to choose a secretary.

"Do you have a hearing impediment? I said you're hired." Hiei watched the incredulous girl and figured he should elaborate. "I don't want an assistant who takes everything for what it is, and can't think for themselves. If that was the case, they wouldn't be any help at all, and having an aide would be pointless." His ruby eyes lingered on her figure before he turned to Kurama, the smirk not leaving his face. "You can call off all the other candidates now."

Kurama cast a glance in Hiei's direction. "Don't tell me you only choose her so you wouldn't have to go through all the other interviewees."

Botan too stared at Hiei incredulously. That jerk! Who did he think he was? He can't just pick and chose people to fit his own needs. Ok, granted that was the point of an interview, but this was just outrageous. Hiei just stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked into the room behind his office indifferently without giving the two any time to react.

"What a guy…" Botan trailed off as she rolled her eyes. Kurama let out a small chuckle. "He'll grow on you, don't worry about it." She hoped he was right. All these years she had her best-friend as her boss, and now she had some cruel tyrant. It was definitely a change.

She was broken out of her thoughts when she heard beeping. Botan watched as Kurama pulled a little blue… thing, out of his pocket. _What is that! Could it be some kind of ancient beeper, maybe?_ Botan stifled a giggle at the thought. A high-tech industrialist couldn't even manage a cellular phone like the rest of the world?

That was when she heard a voice talking out of the 'ancient beeper.' Curiosity got the best of the girl as she moved to Kurama's side so she could get a better view. There was a screen and she saw Yusuke telling Kurama about how grumpy the applicants were getting. After shutting it Kurama gave her a hurried smile, "I've got to go settle a few things. Congratulations." And with that he left.

Botan decided it would be best for her to leave, instead of standing around Hiei's office like a lost child until he came back out. "Onna."

"It's Botan."

"Hn. I don't seem to remember if I cared."

Botan rolled her eyes. "Is there anything you'd like me to do today? Or am I just supposed to stand around without any instructions?"

"If you read the application form then you would've known," Hiei began as he moved closer to her, "…that you don't start working here until tomorrow."

"Oh." Was all Botan could manage to say. He was a bit too close for her comfort. It did not help that he was good-looking either.

Hiei took note of this and resisted the urge to smirk. Women get flustered too easily. He merely pushed an object in her hand and would've walked away if it weren't for Botan's curiosity.

"What exactly _is_ this thing?" She carefully examined the object, then opened it the same way Kurama previously did. Botan tapped random buttons hesitantly a few times, and Kuwabara's face popped up. "Kuwabara!" Botan chimed, happy that she got it to work. "Huh-…hey Botan! Kurama told us you got the job. Now you're gonna have to work under shorty, although I don't know what there is to be happy about." Kuwabara muttered the last part.

"Oaf, I suggest you shut up before I send you to oblivion," Hiei said curtly while closing the device and closing the connection. Botan was surprised this was how they acted during work. Threatening employees screams law-suit, and Hiei didn't seem to care. "This _thing_," Hiei emphasized the word distastefully, "is a communication device. I don't particularly like it, but Kurama said it would be best if we all had some way to communicate with each other."

They both began to walk towards the mahogany doors, Hiei opened it for her and she walked through. "This is cool! It's way better than cell phones, and ancient beepers!" Botan exclaimed already falling in love with it.

_Ancient beepers? Damn this onna's odd._ "This doesn't mean you're licensed to call me whenever you want. In fact I'd prefer if you didn't call at all." Botan's happiness decreased only slightly.

"Why do you have to be so defensive all the time?"

"It's called professionalism; this is work, not some party." His eyes shifted towards his employees, then back to Botan.

"But, it's okay to have some fun, even if it's a little. I mean, you guys seem closer than just acquaintances."

"Hardly. They're just my employees, nothing more." Hiei snorted as he walked up to Yusuke and Kuwabara's cubicles. Shizuru was there too, talking with Kurama. She had all her things with her, and appeared to be waiting for Kuwabara.

Botan just stood there and stared at them all. She watched as they all interacted with each other and smiled. They were all like a family, one that she was proud to be a part of.

Mwuaha finished the first chapter, finally! How'd you like it! I have BIIIIG plans for this fic. Tell me whatchya thought in a review, and Hiei will love you foreverrrr! Haha, okay so maybe he won't, but I will. )


	2. Sticky Situations

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 2: Sticky Situations

Botan rubbed her eyes drowsily, fighting back the urge to yawn every now and then. She strode into the cafeteria looking for something edible that wouldn't make her stomach turn two hours later.

Last night Botan could not fall asleep at all. She was tossing and turning in her bed, constantly shifting to a different position in search of sleep. She was both excited and nervous for her first day of work. By the time Botan finally fell asleep, she was all but dragged out of her bed by Hinageshi. So here she was in the cafeteria. In all her haste the girl didn't even have time to cook herself a decent breakfast.

_And breakfast is the most important meal of the day…_ Botan could hear Hinageshi clearly in her mind as she recited the girl's mantra. She could swear that poor girl had a fetish with breakfast…and lunch, and dinner. Ok maybe she just liked to cook. Botan remembered once when it was her birthday and Hinageshi prepared a whole weeks worth of food for her. She thought she was going to throw up from all the food, but managed to give most of it to Koenma and a bunch of the other co-workers. Botan probably could've fed the whole building now that she thought about it.

She smiled nostalgically at the memory, remembering how well she fit in her previous job. Would she be wanted here, or did she just intrude on their little parade? What if they didn't even like her, thinking she was some bubbly over-achiever? Botan sighed. Just yesterday she was content with becoming Hiei's secretary and now she felt like she was missing something. Maybe they were being nice to her and covering up how they really felt. Maybe working for Hiei would be too much for her to handle. Maybe everything would have been better off if she had just stayed with Koenma. And maybe… she was just being paranoid.

Mentally shaking the thoughts out of her head, Botan's disposition brightened. She was a grown woman fully capable of this job, she _could_ handle the pressure, and everything _would_ be all right. Walking over to a secluded table Botan sat down, after having found some fruits and a bagel.

"What's a pretty lady like you doing sitting here by yourself?" Kuwabara joked as he sat down next to her. His tray was filled with almost everything in the cafeteria. Yusuke followed suit with his tray crammed with food. "Hey guys." Botan was currently rolling her fruits all around her plate, not paying attention to anything. The lethargy was kicking in yet again; her voice was lacking its usual brightness.

"Hey." Shizuru placed a cup of coffee in front of Botan. "I don't think Hiei would like it if you were sluggish on your first day." Her voice was tender, yet scolding at the same time. Like a _real_ mother.

Botan smiled while taking a sip of her coffee. "Thanks. It's just that I didn't get much sleep last night. I was a bit restless." She even called Koenma to see if he'd ramble about another frustrating meeting. That usually got her tired, but not even then could she fall asleep.

"Hey! Yusuke no fair, you cheated. We'll start on my count. Ready, set, go!" Kuwabara shoveled forkful after forkful of food into his mouth as Yusuke did the same, neither of them stopping for air. They seemed to be having an eating…race?

Shizuru pointedly ignored them and looked at Botan. "Probably just first day jitters. Everyone gets them."

"I guess you're right." Botan finally started to eat, feeling lively after Shizuru's pep talk. It was funny how Shizuru could get Botan to do seemingly anything with a few words of encouragement. Though she had lost some of her appetite after watching the two boys' match, she managed to get most of her breakfast down.

Yusuke looked up from his empty food tray to lock eyes with Shizuru. "So, who won?"

"It was a tie, as usual." Shizuru pulled out a cigarette casually from her pocket.

"You mean they do this everyday?" Botan stared at them incredulously. She guessed they didn't care about prestige or anything like that. Shizuru nodded. "That's right. It's embarrassing to know these guys. I'm surprised Kurama didn't fire their sorry asses yet."

"That's only because Kurama knows he'd be losing some major points with you if he did." Yusuke's voice dripped with mockery as Kuwabara adamantly agreed. "Shut up." Pulling out a lighter Shizuru attempted to light her cigarette but was interrupted. Kurama leisurely took the lighter out of her hand as if on cue. "You know there's no smoking in the office."

"Hello too you too, boss." Shizuru placed the cigarette back in her purse as Kurama smiled knowingly. He was currently trying to slowly kick the woman out of her smoking habit, despite the many comments he had gotten from her, she seemed to be listening.

Kurama sat down next to Shizuru, after greeting Botan. Kuwabara and Yusuke left suddenly after casting each other a deliberate glance and giving a few nudges. Catching on Botan quickly stood up with her coffee mug. "Oh look at that. I need a refill! Gotta keep my energy up for the day, you know how it is." Botan looked down at her half-filled cup of coffee.

"But Botan you've got half a cup of coffee left…" Shizuru trailed off confused. Botan smiled sheepishly, "That's funny… i-it looks more like a quarter-cup. Anyway maybe I should fill it up, just to be safe! Don't want to be _sluggish_ on my first day now do I?"

"No, I guess you don't." Shizuru raised a brow at Botan. _She's acting just like Yusuke and Kuwabara._

"Ok, I'll see you two love-birds later!"

"Botan…" Kurama started. Before he could scold her, Botan turned around abruptly, crashing into a wall and spilling all her coffee on it. Somehow she got splashed too. Taking a closer look at the 'wall', she found it was tall dark and handsome. Shock got the best of her as she stood there speechless. She had bumped into Hiei knocking the contents of her cup into him, and vice-versa. _I guess Kurama was trying to warn me…_

Hiei stood there holding back his irritation. He had fully known the whole cafeteria had their eyes on the awkward pair, awaiting how he would act in this sort of situation. Some looked fearful, others were amused.

"I'm _so_ sorry!" Botan regained her courage. She then looked down at herself and pouted. This was her favorite shirt! Now it had a repulsive brown stain running down from her chest to her waist. She then looked towards Hiei who was sporting a coffee-stained shirt as well.

Hiei was slowly counting to ten, trying not to let his anger get the best of him. It wouldn't be wise to blow up in front of all his employees… plus Kurama said he needed to keep his anger in check.

"H-hiei…" Botan mumbled feebly trying to get a reaction out of the man.

Silence…

Stillness…

The kind of quite like the calm before the storm. Oh how Botan hated silence. That is until they heard a snort courtesy of Yusuke and Kuwabara of course. Ignoring their stupidity, Hiei took hold of Botan's arm; leading her outside of the cafeteria and away of the meddlesome spectators.

Botan sighed. This was not how she was planning to start her first day at work, or her second impression. She'd heard that they were almost as important as first impressions. They either reinforce the negative notion one had about you, or change their view completely. This 'sticky situation' for lack of a better term, definitely didn't seem to be helping any.

"Hiei I said I'm sorry! Would you mind explaining to me why you're about to rip my arm out of its socket!" Botan demanded.

Without any concern for her feelings, Hiei led her to the men's bathroom. "You could've just taken me to the female restroom." Botan pouted.

"You're your brain onna. I would have except it is being renovated." Some of the females that worked here wanted, or rather demanded, the bathrooms be redone. New paint, new toilets, new sinks, and some furniture… the whole nine yards. He clearly remembered Shizuru ranting about the least he could do was grant them a better bathroom after all the 'slave' work and time they spent in his building. Then they even made Yukina ask him. Wanting to shut them up as quickly as possible, Hiei gave in and hired a team to redo the whole damn bathroom. Women really were too troublesome.

"I see. Well anyway, I really am sorr-"

"Shut up already. I heard you the first time."

"You should be apologizing too; you did spill your coffee all over me, and it was hot- practically scorching!" Botan figured a little humor could possibly lighten the mood.

"Good. It would've never happened if you hadn't so clumsily walked into me." Hiei was pissed.

"Well if you should've been watching where you were going."

"I was watching where I was going. How was I supposed to know you'd haphazardly turn around like an incompetent fool?" Hiei began patting himself dry after hearing no further protests from his assistant. If this is what he gets for being nice and attempting to warn Kurama that Yomi was here, he'd never ever do a good deed for the rest of his damned life. He handed her some towels to dry herself.

"Thanks." He was right. After all she did bump into him. She began dabbing herself with the cloth. "Ugh, the coffee's drying…"

"Naturally…"

"No I mean, now I'm all sticky!"

Hiei mentally sighed as he flipped open his communication device. "Yukina, bring me two shirts." His voice was slightly softer than usual, and it lacked the condescension he usually had. Curiosity got the best of Botan as she looked into the device to see a woman with blue hair, ruby eyes, and a heartfelt smile. She looked like she was just about ready to leave seeing as her coat was already on. "Sure Hiei-san. I'll be over in a few minutes."

After Hiei closed the connection Botan couldn't help but feel a bit prying. "So I take it that's your girlfriend, huh? She's pretty."

Hiei's eyes widened slightly. "You baka, that's my twin sister."

Her eyes lost the playfulness they once had, and the pert grin she had on her face was replaced with a blush. "Oh."

"Would you two mind getting freaky somewhere else, this is a bathroom you know." The duo turned to see Yusuke standing in the doorway. "Oh, it's just you two! Sorry I must've mistaken you guys for a couple, seeing how you two look so cozy and all." Yusuke lied.

They were a bit close, but that was only because Botan was trying to peer into the communication mirror seconds before.

"What the hell are you doing in here? I'm not paying you to walk around and do whatever you please." Hiei retorted ignoring Botan's embarrassed disposition. She really did get flustered easily.

"If it means anything to you, I actually have to use the bathroom." He walked into a stall then quickly walked out. "Damn it Hiei don't you hire janitors?" He held his nose as he walked into another stall.

Disregarding him, Hiei attempted to leave the bathroom with Botan one step behind him. "Oh yeah," sticking his head out from the door one last time Yusuke said, "Kurama's outside looking for you."

Hiei nodded stepping out of the bathroom. "Go wait in my office. Yukina should already be there with an extra shirt." Botan didn't need to hear that twice. She was ready to change into something much less damp and sticky. She went up the elevator, and waited for it to get all the way to the top. "At least I'm the only one in here." Botan didn't want people seeing the ugly blotch all over her favorite top. She was soon taking back her words as the elevator stopped and a woman with a small, petite frame entered. She looked awfully familiar, now that Botan thought about it. She had the same enticing, crimson orbs as Hiei…

"Ah! Yukina!"

The girl turned around to greet Botan. "Hello… Botan isn't it?"

Botan was glad Yukina was nothing like her brother. "Yeah! How'd you know?"

Yukina extended her arm handing Botan a shirt. "My brother told me about you, yesterday." Botan's smiled dulled a bit. "No doubt he was telling you a bunch of bad stuff, huh?"

"N-no, not at all. In fact, Hiei told me that you were a very, promising individual." Yukina's eyes shifted, avoiding Botan's gaze. She really wasn't all that good at lying.

Botan laughed. "It's alright. You don't have to hide it. Kurama already warned by about Hiei's tendencies yesterday. He said I'll just have to get used to him." Botan accepted the shirt graciously. "Thanks."

The two women stepped out of the elevator and started walking towards Hiei's office. Before they entered it, Botan saw an empty cubicle with her name plate on it. She beamed with pride, as her eyes lit up like a child receiving a toy on Christmas. It was to the right of Shizuru's workspace and Kuwabara and Yusuke's was to her left. Directly in front of her cubicle was Hiei's office, and right next to it was Kurama's.

Botan stopped at the doors of Hiei's office. She tried to open it but it wouldn't budge. "This thing's heavy!" The girl blushed as she asked for Yukina's help. "Don't worry about it; I can't open these doors without anyone's help either." With great effort they were able to open the door enough for Botan to slip through and close it behind her.

Quickly she stripped her shirt off and put Hiei's shirt on over her small form. Botan buttoned the buttons as fast as she could and rolled the sleeves up due to its size. It was a bit on the large side, but it fit nonetheless. She felt comfortable in it, and best of all it smelled _good_. Really, _really_, good. She never noticed it before, but now she recognized the aroma as the distinct scent of Hiei.

She head a few knocks on the door and a muffled, "Onna are you done yet?"

"Y-yes, you can come in now." Botan watched as Hiei walked through the door followed by an unidentified man, and a young boy, presumably his son. Yukina was still standing by the doorway. Hiei glanced at Botan. She looked good in his shirt. Although it didn't fit perfectly, it still looked right on her, in an odd sort of way. Shaking the foolish thoughts out of his head Hiei walked towards his desk. "Yomi, Botan, Botan, Yomi."

_Damn it, why'd Yomi have to bring his little brat, Shura, along?_ Hiei grimaced. It was bad enough that Yomi decided to come at all, and with his son? That little brat always ran all around ruining everything. Last time it was the water-cooler, the time before that it was a window, and a time before that he managed to set some important documents on fire. That's when an idea came to mind. "Onna."

Her head snapped in his direction, ignoring the 'onna'. She'd pester him about that later. "Hm?"

Hiei smirked. "I've got your first assignment."

Her heart jumped. Finally she would be working. "Watch over Shura while Yomi and I discuss some business." Botan opened her mouth to protest but when she saw the young boy jump up from his father's side with excitement, she decided to quell her thoughts. "Ok, sir. Come on, let's go Shura." The boy took hold of Botan's extended hands feebly. Yomi held the door for them as they walked out.

Meeting up with Yukina, Botan led Shura to her cubicle and let him sit down. For a child, he sure was quiet. "Do you like candy?" His eyes widened delightfully. Rummaging through her purse she found a few pieces of candy and handed it to the boy. He seemed to be entertained so Botan took the liberty of decorating her space. It was too dull for her. She posted pictures of her, Koenma, and Hinageshi. Pulling item after item out of her bag, Botan began to adorn her small part of Jaganshi-Corp, while chatting with Yukina.

Just then Yusuke and Kuwabara rounded the corner with Shizuru not too far behind. "Yukina-baby!" Kuwabara's voice roared throughout the halls. He grabbed her hands in his affectionately. "Hello Kazuma." Yukina didn't seem fazed at all, as if this happened everyday and it was routine.

"Ah, so you've got baby-sitting duties with the brat today." Yusuke almost felt bad for her. Almost being the keyword. At least it wasn't him though.

"Last time I checked, I wasn't the one who set fire to the cafeteria." Shura's voice held the same arrogance Hiei's had. Botan's eyes widened. When did he become so defensive?

Ruffling Shura's hair, Shizuru answered Botan's unasked question. "Don't look so surprised. He might seem sweet and innocent first, but he's got a knack for causing trouble."

"I didn't set anything on fire. You framed me you little shi-"

Shura pushed Shizuru's hands off of his head. "-S'not my fault if some people," Shura pointedly gazed at Kuwabara and Yusuke, "don't know how outwit a _mere_ child."

"Come on guys he can't be that bad." Botan thought he was a sweet little child, just a little misunderstood. "Yeah I can't be as bad as the work someone did on her hair. I mean who colors their hair blue?" Shura said in between fits of laughter.

Botan twitched. "This is my natural hair color." She forced a smile upon her face, remembering this was only a child. _A very irritating child._

"Don't pay any attention to him. He's just at that age." Shizuru comforted. Botan sighed. She was right. "Yeah I know. I just can't believe Hiei gave me the job of watching over him. Couldn't my first assignment have been a little more, oh I don't know, professional?"

"We've all gotta start somewhere, and your first assignments currently trying to take pictures of his ass on the copy machine." Yusuke said coolly. Quickly getting up Botan ran over to the boy, scolding him. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Hiei was getting bored fast. All Yomi ever did was talk about figures and things of that nature. His thoughts drifted back to Botan. A smirk almost made its way to his face at the thought of her chasing Shura frantically. If she could handle that child, she could possibly handle anything. It's not like Hiei blamed the boy or anything. After all he was the offspring of Yomi.

"So is it true?" Yomi set his hands on the table, pushing some documents forward to Hiei. "Is what true?" Hiei hated when Yomi cut off his sentences like that. If it was for dramatic effect he could save the bullshit, because Hiei had enough drama in his life as it is.

"You've got your mother's eyes?"

Hiei's eyes blazed. "If you plan on keeping the four senses you still have, I advise you shut the hell up."

Yomi's smile was almost apologetic. "It's not me Hiei. It's the others. They seem to be talking about you a lot lately. I suggest you watch your back."

"If that's what you came here for, you might as well leave. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I don't give a damn about what the others have to say." Hiei was pissed. Who the hell did Yomi think he was coming into his office, sputtering a bunch of irrelevant nonsense? He didn't need to hear any of this, not now and not ever.

* * *

Botan was running around like a lunatic trying to catch up with Shura. He was a bundle of energy, and she was a bundle of nerves. This is not how the first day was supposed to go. She figured she'd type up a few memos, answer a few phone calls, and run simple errands. Chasing after a crazed, hyper boy wasn't even close to making her list.

"Shura don't go in there!"

"Be a good boy would you?"

"Let's go play a nice, quiet game. How does that sound?"

About ten attempts later, Botan was hit with an idea. "Would you like some candy?"

Shura stopped dead in his tracks, and turned around. So candy was his weak spot. "If you're a good boy I'll give you some." Botan taunted. Shura followed Botan to her cubicle, sitting down.

Now, Shura was quietly eating his sweets. Botan had to go down to the cafeteria and buy practically all the candy there was. This kid was never satisfied! She watched him now, noting how innocent he looked. "Hey, Shura?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you go around causing so much trouble for everyone? They all mean well, honestly."

"It's the only way…" He stopped. "Go on, I'm listening." Botan urged. He shook his head, "It's the only way I can get them to play with me." Botan nodded, realizing that's not what he was really going to say. Maybe he'll tell her one day. "Well I'll always be here, so you don't have to make any mischief when you're around me, okay?"

Shura nodded. "That's not the only reason you know," the arrogance was back in his voice, "it's the look on their faces whenever I cause trouble." Botan smiled, "I can only imagine."

"One time the water-cooler broke and Hiei's face looked like it was about to explode. But the funniest expressions are always Kurama's," Shura managed to say in between fits of laughter. "Yusuke and Kuwabara are pretty funny too."

"Hey, you've known Hiei for a long time right?" Shura nodded. "Can you tell me a bit about him?" Botan felt kind of foolish for asking Shura about her boss, but things are always seen for what they are through the innocence of a child… at least that's' what she had heard.

"Hiei acts like nothing is good enough for him and my dad compares him to a spoiled brat most of the time, but once you get to know him I guess he's okay. My dad says he never accepts help from anyone, even though he probably needs it most. I don't really care about any of that stuff. At least he's smarter than the two idiots he and Kurama hired."

* * *

"Kurama." Yomi entered Kurama's office and sat down. "They're talking a lot lately, all about Hiei. I tried to warn him, but you know as well as I that he can't accept help from anyone. It's just not in his nature. Watch out for him, and be cautious. They're sneaky, and they'll do anything to get what they want." Yomi's voice was low, and warning.

"You know I will. But still I have to ask," Kurama gave Yomi a questioning look, "Why the sudden interest in Hiei's well-being?"

Yomi smirked. "I'm not interested in his well-being. I just don't want the others to receive what they want."

"Understood."

Pagebreak

Hiei departed from his office and walked up to Botan's cubicle. She was talking to Shura, and it didn't look as if she were angry of frustrated. They were both smiling. _I guess she got a handle on him._ "Onna."

Botan looked up. "_Botan_." She corrected. "Hn. Your name makes no difference to me, so what's the point in using it?"

She frowned. It would be nice to hear him say her name just once, because he wanted to and not out of necessities such as introducing her to Yomi. "Did you need something for me, or did you simply come here to poke fun at me?"

He dropped a file on her desk filled with work. "Type these up and fax it to this number for validation," Hiei pointed to a number scribbled on the side of the file. "Once it's sent back you should be able to figure out to do with it, but just in case Koenma didn't know how train his employees I'll explain it anyway. If everything is validated you can just give it to me. If it's not then make changes to the documents according to the guidelines," Hiei said in a stern manner.

Hiei was acting odd. She knew he was cold, but he seemed different than this morning. "Are you okay?"

"Just mind your own damn business and do what you're told." Hiei snapped walking back into his office and slamming the door. Shaking her head, Botan sighed. She never knew what to expect with that man. She should be fuming, but instead she felt sympathy towards him. Hiei seemed like the type of person who could guard their emotions very well. Something got under his skin, she was sure of it.

"Told you," Shura said as he began licking his lollipop, "just like a spoiled brat." Botan smiled a little watching Yomi and Kurama exit his office. "Shura it's time to go. Nice meeting you Botan."

"Nice meeting you too, goodbye!" Botan walked over to the two of them shaking hands with Yomi. Reluctantly Shura stood up and went to his father's side. "Goodbye Botan."

"Bye Shura!" She waved.

When they were out of sight Kurama turned to Botan. "It seems Shura's taken a liking to you." She nodded. "Hey Kurama, Hiei's been acting strangely… is he okay?" Genuine concern was laced throughout her voice.

Kurama smiled knowingly. "Don't worry he'll be fine. Just give him some time." Avoiding any further conversation about Hiei's problems, Kurama went on. "Looks like you've got your work cut out for you."

Botan looked at her desk, smiling sheepishly. "Yeah I guess I better start working."

………… Hours Later …………

Botan was still working furiously. Everybody else had left, urging her to go home but she couldn't yet. There were so many changes that had to be made, even after she sent it for verification. She rubbed her eyes, forcing them to stay opened. "Only a few more documents…"

Hiei left his office, surprised to see that Botan was still there. He figured she would have given up on the work and went home. He purposely gave her more than enough work, to see how she would handle it. It's not like he had expected her to finish all of it in one day. The only plausible outcomes were stressing out, or giving up. She seemed to be doing neither as she continued typing.

Hiei felt a pang of guilt wash over him. He snapped at her, and yet here she was working her heart out, for _him_. Hiei never felt guilty for anyone! You get what you deserve, don't you?

Trying to ease his guilt, he figured Botan was just doing it to keep her job. Not because he asked her too, but because of the fear of getting fired. _If that was true then she could've just gone back to her job with that baka Koenma._ Damn it now his thoughts were betraying him.

"There. I'm finished." An escaped sigh reached her lips. She'd finished all of it. Hiei wasn't that surprised. Her credentials were exceptional, despite what he had said yesterday. "Onna, let's go."

"Go?"

"I'm taking you home." Yes, he realized he said he'd never do another good deed in his life but she was his secretary. He couldn't have her possibly getting in danger because she left work at unheard of hours in the night. That was the only reason he was doing this. If she wasn't safe he wouldn't have an efficient assistant. Meaning he'd have to go through the whole futile process again. It was benefiting him mostly.

Really, it was.

* * *

Phew, I'm done! I had more for this chapter, but I decided to cut it here and leave that for the third installment. I'm glad people actually took an interest in this story, especially since it had such a crappy description. Thanks a lot for the support, you all are so kind! - Insert smiley face here – Tell me whatchya thought about this chapter –cough- More reviews More motivation –cough-- …Was it good, bad, awful, horribly stupid, should I just quit now?! Alright, I'll stop rambling now. Later! 


	3. Baby

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.

Chapter 3: Baby

The ride home was unusually quiet, excluding the times when Botan directed Hiei to her residence. Botan was surprised that he had even considered driving her home, especially since a few hours ago he had snapped at her; telling her to mind her own business. She was even more surprised when he walked her inside the building, up the elevator, and towards her apartment.

Unlocking the door, she entered the dark apartment; inviting Hiei in. As she turned on the lights, she was greeted with an aggravated voice.

"Botaaaaannnn!"

The said girl screamed as she latched onto Hiei in fear of her life. Hiei gripped his arm around her waist to reassure her. Suddenly a figure popped up out of nowhere, literally, bombarding the blue haired girl with questions. "What took to so long to get home? Don't you know I was worried! I was just about ready to call the cops and-"

"…Hinageshi?" Botan questioned, utterly confused.

"-And here you are bringing home mysterious men into your apartment, planning to do Enma knows what!" The red-head scolded, her eyes narrowing. After taking another look at Hiei she continued. "Not that I can blame you though, he is very good-looking. He seems kind of familiar too, now that I think about it."

Botan looked at Hiei realizing she was still holding on to him. They both let go of each other instantly, feeling a twinge of regret at the loss of warmth. Botan sighed. Why did everyone always have to jump to silly conclusions? "Hinageshi… this is Hiei, my _boss_."

The girl's draw dropped. "Oh! That's why you looked so familiar! Remember me? I was with Koenma the last time you two had a meeting! Hinageshi's the name!" She extended her hand.

Hiei looked at her hand in disgust, and then turned his gaze to her face. She did look sort of familiar, but then again Hiei could be confusing her with the many people he had seen over his lifetime. Due to the fact that he was forced to interact with many people, he never made it a point to remember them… unless they really mattered. "No."

Hinageshi pulled her hand back and began to scratch the back of her head with it, clearly embarrassed. "Okay… um, so what are you two doing here… uh together?" She raised her eyebrows mockingly, eyes twinkling.

"Hina, get those thoughts out of your head. He's my boss!"

Taking another look at Botan suspiciously, her eyes caught hold of the shirt the girl was wearing. "Ah ha! So why are you wearing his shirt, then?" She pointed at the shirt Botan was wearing.

Botan frowned. "I got coffee spilled on it, and Hiei so kindly let me borrow one of his."

At the sound of his name Hiei got drawn into the conversation once more. He wasn't paying much attention, thinking back to why he was even here in the first place. "Look, why don't you just mind your own business and go back to sleep, little girl." Hiei added the last part to annoy her, seeming like the type to get riled up easily.

Hinageshi twitched. She hated it when people called her little! So what if she acted immature sometimes… doesn't everyone? "…Little girl? Little girl! You pig-headed-"

Attempting to stop a potential argument, Botan cut in. "What are you doing here anyway? What happened to your place?" Hiei snorted hearing this. The 'little girl' didn't even live here, and yet she still felt the need to question Botan about why she was coming home late.

Hinageshi laughed nervously. "Well… you see… What had happened was I-er…" She stuttered quietly.

Botan urged her to continue, assuring the girl that she wouldn't get angry. "I got kicked out because I took in a stray puppy, okay? They had this strict rule about not allowing pets into the building… and I broke a few other rules before. I guess it accumulated and the old bastards decided to kick me out!" She told them, her voice rising a bit.

"Tell me you didn't bring the puppy here…" Botan pleaded, as Hinageshi's eyes widened guiltily. Hinageshi laughed nervously once more. "Of course I didn't Botan. I'm not that stupid… but, you guys are allowed to keep pets right?" She inquired hastily.

Botan shook her head. "I've gotten lots of warnings for bringing strays into the building. I'm a sucker for animals, but the next time they catch an animal in my room, they threatened to kick me out!"

All of a sudden, they heard a little dog scamper their way. He barked happily at the three forms, jumping sporadically.

"Uh-oh…" Hinageshi let out an uneasy smile. Botan's eyes widened and Hiei restrained from laughing. This little girl truly was an idiot. "Please, don't be too angry with me Botan! I just… I didn't know what to do!" Hinageshi waited for Botan to explode, and start yelling at her.

Botan bent down gawking at the tiny, white-furred puppy. "He is absolutely adorable!" She exclaimed picking it up and hugging it fiercely. Hinageshi sweat dropped, seeing as that was not the reaction she was anticipating. Shrugging it off, she bent down to pet the pup. "He's just the cutest thing, isn't he?"

Nodding, Botan continued to indulge to puppy. Hiei sighed. His assistant had a one track mind. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Botan let out laugh. "Oh! Where are my manners? Would you like something to drink?"

"Not that you baka, didn't you just say you'd get kicked out if you kept that thing?" He admonished, looking down at the two girls.

Her smile was replaced with a frown. He was right. Setting the puppy down, she stood up again. "I can't just leave him outside to die!"

Hiei shrugged his shoulders uncaringly. "It's a cruel world, deal with it. It's going to be either you or that puppy on the streets. You make the choice." Hiei spoke as if he was used to the world being an unjust place. It made her heart sink a little.

"There's got to be something we can do…" Botan's eyes drifted to the puppy as it jumped up near Hiei, placing its front paws on Hiei's legs. She looked at Hinageshi and smiled. "Aw, he likes you!" Hinageshi started.

"So?"

"Hiei I bet you could keep him!" Botan implored. "You could probably do anything you wanted since you are such a prestigious CEO."

He smirked at her compliments. "I could, but it doesn't mean I have to."

"Have a heart!" Hinageshi begged, groveling at his feet dramatically. Looking down at her unconvinced, Hiei told her plain and simple, "No."

"Please! Hiei he could die out there! I'll give you everything he needs; you won't have to pay a cent!"

He sighed. "I don't care about the money. I think I have enough of that." Botan blinked twice. "Right! I forgot about that." She looked down at the puppy dejectedly. "I guess I'll just have to abandon him, when he's so young, and when he needs me the most. Poor puppy, he probably doesn't have any family at all… and no one to depend on…" She coaxed, hoping her sentiments could warm his ice-cold heart. She pouted, and picked up the puppy allowing Hiei to gain a better view of it.

Clenching his fists, Hiei was quickly losing his resolve. "Fine, just give me the damn puppy," He groaned finally, taking the animal out of Botan's arms. _This thing better not shit all over my house…_

"I knew you had a heart Hiei!" She restrained from hugging him tightly. "Whatever. Just remind me to never give you a ride home again." With that he left. As he got back inside his car, he placed the puppy in the back. Ordering it not to have any accidents, Hiei sighed to himself. It's not like the thing could understand him anyway. Wondering why he decided to keep it, Hiei scowled. He didn't want to have to watch over a wearisome, energetic puppy. It would just add to his list of priorities, which was something he definitely didn't need.

Looking back at the puppy in the rear view mirror, he noticed it had fallen asleep. Feeling a pang of sympathy, he frowned at his softness. It was just a dog, and hundreds of them were left without homes everyday. Hell, people are left like that too. That's what places such as orphanages were for.

Orphanages: That one world held a lifetime full of detest. Shrugging it off, he continued to focus on the road. Soon he'd be home, and he could forget. Forget that stupid woman who was constantly making him do things he knew he would never do, forget the damn dog that he had to take care of, and forget his past… which was good for nothing except bringing pain.

"What a guy," Hinageshi said scathingly. "Yeah," Botan agreed, not realizing that Hinageshi was being derisive. Turning to Hinageshi she gave her a contemplating look. "Now what am I going to do about you?"

"Shut up!" Hinageshi growled jokingly, as they both turned in for the night. Having Hinageshi stay in her apartment was certainly going to be a new experience. All her life Botan had been alone. Even when she was surrounded by people, she was still lonely. It might only be temporary, but Botan was going to cherish the time she spent with Hinageshi as her roommate.

-----

Three weeks have passed since Botan and Hinageshi coaxed Hiei to keep the overactive puppy. Hiei was growing fond of him, but would never let anyone know that. Botan usually called to check up on the puppy, and during work she would find new questions to ask Hiei about the dog.

Was he feeding him right? Did he get plenty of exercise? Did he pay enough attention to the animal? At these times a simple, 'What do you think onna?' would suffice.

It was now their lunch break, and the usual crew decided to meet up in the cafeteria. Once Hiei came into view Botan brightened. "How's my baby doing?" Every one of her friends gawked at her, then Hiei, and then back at her.

"He's fine." Hiei gritted.

Yusuke was the first one to speak. "Since when did you start talking about yourself in third person, Hiei?"

"I'm talking about the dog, imbecile."

Sighs of relief were heard as Botan shook her head, resentfully. "You all jump to conclusions too much." Hiei nodded in accord, mumbling about the people he had to deal with.

Always defensive Kuwabara was devising a brilliant retort, but his sister cut in, fully knowing what he was planning. "So how is Yukina doing? She hasn't come around to visit lately."

Kuwabara perked up instantly. "Yeah how is my beautiful maiden doing?" Scowling, Hiei replied. "My _sister _is fine. She's just been busy volunteering at the hospital."

"She's so compassionate. We all could learn something from her." Botan pointedly glanced at Hiei. "I'll show you compassion when I drop your 'baby' off of a thirty story building." Hiei muttered as Botan gasped. "You wouldn't really do that would you?"

"It depends." Was all Hiei answered, leaving Botan fearing for the puppy's life. "Don't worry; he's just toying with you." Kurama assured. "Aren't we Hiei?"

"No." Hiei began eating, ignoring Kurama blatantly. Botan half-heartedly glared at her boss, realizing he wouldn't harm a poor innocent creature. Then again, you never know with Hiei. He had more mood swings than a pregnant woman.

Shaking all images of a 'pregnant Hiei' out of her head, Botan began to eat. Time sure did fly fast. She was already in her third week of work, and she had gotten a quick handle on things.

After spending more time with Hiei she began to understand him just a little bit more. The little things that used to bother her about him, now made her smile. His attitude hasn't changed one bit, but now instead of getting angered she accepted it. He really was like a spoiled child sometimes, and all he needed was a little bit of guidance.

Yusuke and Kuwabara one the other hand were still children. Botan couldn't complain about them, because she was much like them herself. They all had enough energy to power a city, had bad tendencies to complain, and had a lot to learn.

Kurama and Shizuru were the most mature out of them all. Both had a great deal of maturity, and understanding. Their similarities were often what got them paired up so frequently.

This led Botan's thoughts back to Hiei. Why did everyone always have to jump to the wrong conclusions of the pair being a couple? They weren't even alike! She looked towards Hiei's direction, quickly snapping her head back to her food when he realized she was staring. He was handsome, and she felt this unnatural attraction to him. She didn't know whether she could say it was a good or bad attraction yet. Botan just met the guy, and already she was falling for him…

Wait, no!

She was not falling for Hiei! He was just a mystery to her, and Botan did like mysteries. If you search through her apartment you'd find tons of mystery novels. Then again you could probably find twice as many love novels. She had a soft spot for stories about a perfect gentleman who would charm the girl, and in the end they'd get together. But Hiei was nothing like that. He'd rather bite people's heads off than fill them with compliments.

Pushing all thoughts of Hiei out of her head, Botan got up to empty her tray. After dumping the contents of her tray into the wastebasket and sitting down in her chair, Botan began to think about more productive things…like her baby for instance.

He was so cute, and he had grown since the last time she saw him. Smiling, she remembered the way he wagged his tail furiously whenever she visited, and how his eyes lit up every time she stroked his stomach. Oh! And how could she forget about those cute high-pitched barks! She could almost hear them now…

_Woof!_

...Great now she was hearing things. She could've sworn she heard him, but shrugged it off. Then she heard it again… and again. Botan turned to Hiei and he wore the same look of bemusement on his face. "That's sounds an awful lot like…" She trailed off as Hiei nodded.

Soon everyone in the cafeteria was greeted with the sight of the head-chef trailing a small puppy, swinging a butcher knife threateningly. "Is that… your 'baby'?" Shizuru muttered as she pointed at the scene. Botan shrieked as she pushed Hiei to get up and stop him. "Don't just sit there! Stop him before he kills my baby!"

In an instant Hiei was up and in front of the chef, stopping him from chasing the puppy as it scurried into Botan's arms. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Hiei threatened, glaring icily at the chef. It angered him to see his staff acting so foolishly, not that he cared about the puppy at all. Okay so maybe most of his anger was directed towards the fact that the dog was endangered… but he certainly didn't seem to realize it.

Botan walked up to him, with the puppy securely in her arms. "You should be ashamed of yourself! Chasing a poor defenseless puppy like that!"

"That _thing_," The chef pointed towards the puppy, "was destroying my kitchen! It started eating from the stocks!" He complained.

"That thing is mine." Hiei answered, stepping closer to the chef. "You shouldn't have let him get into the cafeteria in the first place. As far as I'm concerned all the blame is directed towards you."

Botan nodded her head irately.

"Shit! They're acting like the puppy is their friggen' child!" Yusuke whispered loudly to Kuwabara. "Heh, you got that right Urameshi."

Noticing the stares Hiei was receiving from his employees, he turned away from the chef. "The show's over, you can all get back to work now." Walking back to the table, Hiei sat down with Botan in tow.

"Hey dinner and a movie," Yusuke exclaimed watching as Botan babied the dog. "How did he get here?" Kurama asked as all eyes were turned to Hiei.

Hiei chose to ignore them, looking to the side. "Well?" Botan prodded.

"Hn beats me."

Botan's eyes narrowed. There was no way they were going to get an answer out of Hiei, and everyone else seemed to realize it, except her that is. "Hiei! Are you neglecting him?" Her lips curved downward.

Hiei smirked. "That all depends on your definition of _neglect_."

-----

It had been one hour since lunch, and Botan was furiously typing up paperwork for Hiei. She still didn't forgive him for playing mind games with her. All she was doing was trying to look out for the small puppy, but Hiei had to go and be an arrogant jerk. It was hard to stay angry, mostly because of the scene in front of her desk. Shura was playing with the puppy, quite content with his new companion. The girl couldn't help but smile at the two in front of her desk.

She was snapped out of her thoughts as a rubber-band went whizzing past her face, haphazardly. Whipping her head to the left, she glared. "Yusuke!"

"Ah, sorry Botan! I was trying to hit Kuwabara." Pointing in front of the girl, Yusuke smiled sheepishly.

Kuwabara grumbled something about Yusuke and his immaturity, walking past Botan's desk. He sat down at his desk and began typing almost as feverishly has Botan had been before. It was funny how studious he could become within a matter of seconds. If he had a job to do, you can expect it to be finished.

Botan looked up at Yusuke from her seat, quizzically. "Don't you have any work to do?"

Yusuke shrugged his shoulders lazily, dropping himself on his chair. "Kurama's probably too busy making out with Shizuru to care and Hiei…" The black-haired boy smirked, leaning back into his chair. "…Hiei's too busy being distracted by his prostitute in there, so I think it's safe to say, I'm free for the day."

Botan gaped. "Prostitute?" She suddenly found it hard to swallow. Botan had gained some respect for her boss, but after hearing this... it all went down the drain. She saw a woman walk into Hiei's office and close the door, but thought nothing of it. Come to think of it, they have been in there for a while.

"Che, you didn't know? She comes every Friday. Hiei claims she helps 'relieve stress.'" Yusuke made quotation marks with his fingers, and began to continue. "At any rate, I think he could've chosen better, or at least called her up when he's not at work. I mean you would think prostitution was a 24/7 kind of job..."

Shura's head perked up innocently as he began to open his mouth. "What's prostitution?" He concealed his smirk, fully knowing what it was. He just liked to start trouble with Yusuke and Kuwabara. All heads turned to the little boy. Kuwabara laughed raucously. "Damn Urameshi, have fun explaining that one!"

"I'll tell you what a prostitution is." Yusuke lowered his voice so any passerbys couldn't hear. "It's what Kurama likes to do on his free time. Don't tell Shizuru though, she'd kill him if she found out."

"Shura honey, don't worry about it. It's nothing, at all! Just a silly, meaningless word!" Botan laughed nervously while rummaging through the contents of her purse. "Uh... candy?" She held it out in front of the eager boy, who accepted it with glee.

Botan sent a glare over to her perverted co-worker, her eyes catching hold of the paperwork left on his desk. "Yusuke!"

"What?"

"Just finish your work will you? If you don't I'll tell Shizuru it was you who spread rumors around the whole office about her and Kurama doing ungodly things in the third floor bathroom stalls."

"Damn you, Botan," He replied half-heartedly. Instantly, Yusuke straightened his posture and began sorting through the files on his desk. Botan just stuck her tongue out in response.

Shortly after the duo's antics, Hiei's door burst open. A woman with short, orange hair huffed out of Hiei's office, promising she'd be back next time. Botan noted how flushed he looked as he stepped out of the office.

"What's the matter Hiei? Didn't have fun with her today?"

Hiei snorted, his eyes wandering over Botan's highly suspicious ones. "Hardly."

"He's too hard to please, that's why." Kuwabara interjected, not looking up from his work once. He seemed to engrossed in the charts that lay scattered all over what seemed to be his desk.

"Speaking from experience, eh?" Yusuke teased twirling a pencil in his hands, jaded. Kuwabara nodded, knowingly.

Botan just sat there, an utter look of confusion seeping through her features. Did they realize that she was right there, hearing everything they said? Did Hiei not carry one ounce of shame over his affairs with a prostitute? And why would Kuwabara know about Hiei being hard to please? The weight of the many questions floating through her mind almost made her head hurt.

"Keep your pants on Hiei. There's always next week. I'm sure it'll be better then." Yusuke smirked, contemplating the many ways Botan could be taking the news.

Hiei took an abnormal interest in a crumpled piece of paper that was littered on the floor, as he began kicking it around. "Who said I wanted it next week?"

"Then why don't you just cancel the appointments?" Botan glared, angry that her boss could be so immoral and just plain disgusting.

Hiei sighed, looking a bit tired. "It's not that easy, onna. You just don't understand."

"Enlighten me." Botan fought the urge to rip up all the documents upon her desk. Why did this side of Hiei bring about such anger from her? It was his life, wasn't it? So why the sudden anger…? Maybe it was because it ruined the impression she had of him. He was her boss, she didn't want to think about him doing that sort of stuff! Especially not with a prostitute. _Even I would be the better person to do that with, not some woman he picked up off the street! _Hold up. That didn't sound right… at all. Botan meant that she would rather Hiei engage in a more productive relationship with a person he felt close to, and not some woman he hardly knew. She started blushing, trying to erase the thoughts out of her head.

"It's not the sort of thing you can just cancel, especially if the one you're dealing with is Mukuro," Hiei countered, unfazed by the disgusted look she shot at him. Botan's eyes widened upon hearing that. She noticed he was still looking flustered. A flustered Hiei never meant anything good. He wasn't the type to get embarrassed over things... which only lead to one other possible conclusion. _His session with that woman!_

Yusuke stifled a laugh, as he continued 'working,' occasionally glancing at the numerous facial expressions Botan made. He had to say, the pure look of disgust was his favorite. Her nose crinkled, her mouth twisted, and her normally exuberant eyes were filled with hate. Who knew she'd get so riled up after hearing Hiei's secret?

"Hiei don't you even care that you're- you're…ugh!" She was at a lost for words, not even able to bring herself to come to terms with the horrible truth. Her knight in shinning armor… was a pervert. Scratch that, she had already concluded he wasn't her knight in shinning armor. He was just Hiei, her boss and her superior in the business world. Whatever pleased him was his own business. Looking up she saw Hiei's crimson eyes rested upon her. "Nevermind." Botan abruptly got up from her seat, without even a glance at Hiei, and made her way down the hallway.

Watching her retreating form, Hiei looked over at his two employees, apparently finished playing with the discarded paper on the floor. "Make sure he doesn't shit all over the place."

"You heard that Shura? Hiei doesn't want you pooping all over his beloved floor." Yusuke taunted. Hiei smirked after hearing his, walking back inside his office. Botan's previous antics were still fresh in his mind. This was exactly why he never made a point to understand women.

-----

After ten minutes of aimless walking, Botan finally found Shizuru. She seemed to be in a meeting with Kurama and Yomi. Deciding to wait for her, Botan stood outside the door quietly, not wanting to disturb whatever it was that was going on inside there. Shizuru's eyes spotted an abnormally bright spot of blue, and instantly recognized it as Botan. Excusing herself, she exited the room hurriedly. "What are you doing out here, all by yourself? Are you alright?"

Botan smiled. "It's nothing; I just needed to get away from Hiei." She sighed. "I can't believe he's related to someone as shy, and kind-hearted as Yukina."

Shizuru shrugged it off. "Maybe if they grew up together it would've been different. But then again I doubt that, Hiei will always be Hiei."

Botan nodded, agreeing with the girl. She stopped suddenly, "What do you mean if he grew up with her?"

Shizuru wore a look of guilt on her face. "It's nothing, don't worry about it. Forget I said anything, I was just thinking out loud..." Shizuru changed the subject hurriedly. "Hey! Can you do me a quick favor?"

"Sure." Botan wasn't one to let things go so easily, but sensing the urgency in Shizuru's voice she shrugged it off. They'd tell her sooner or later… she hoped. If not she could always get the answer from Yusuke or Kuwabara.

Shizuru let out a sigh of relief. "I don't know what I'd do without you! Just hand these over to Hiei, I would do it myself, but I've got to make sure those two idiots don't start fighting or anything."

_Oh great._ Botan's anxiety was quickly replaced by curiousity. Kurama and Yomi, fighting? She sent the brunette a questioning look. "Why would Kurama fight with Yomi?" Shizuru shrugged. "They're both too alike. They might do a good job of covering it up and acting civil towards one another, but, just trust me on this one Botan."

"Alright, I guess I'm off to see that bas-" She quickly corrected herself, "Hiei."

"Thanks Botan, you're a god-send." Shizuru tucked a few loose strands behind her hair, then re-entered the room. After watching Shizuru close the door, Botan dragged herself to Hiei's office. _I am not going to think about Hiei and this Mukuro woman. I'll simply hand him these, and leave_. Botan kept on repeating the phrase several times in her mind, before stopping off at Hiei's office.

The door was open, so she let herself in after knocking twice. He acknowledged her presence with the simple nod of his head. "Shizuru told me to give these to you." She placed the folder on his desk, almost hesitantly.

Hiei looked at them almost weary, huffing. "Whatever." Eyeing him, Botan stepped closer to him. "Hiei can I ask you someting?"

"So long as you make it quick," He retorted shuffling papers on his desk. Botan nodded. "Was… I mean, is… that woman. Um. Mukuro, I think it was. Are you two… is she really?" Botan stuttered with her words, not able to project the many thoughts suspended in her mind.

Hiei looked at the girl before him, confused at what she was getting at. Letting his impatient nature leak out, Hiei urged her to continue. "Spit it out already." She gulped. "Are you and Mukuro involved... I mean, Yusuke told me that she was your... that she was your…" Botan mentally berated herself, eyes traveling around every inch of the room except Hiei. "Yusuke said Mukuro was your prostitute!" Taking his silence for mortification, Botan trudged on. "I for one can not believe you would even think of hiring a prostitute! And to have her come at work, I mean don't you have one bit of humility?"

He fought the urge to laugh at the jumbled girl in front of him. Him and Mukuro? Never! "You really are as stupid as you look." Botan opened her mouth to say something but didn't as Hiei continued to speak. "You should've learned by now not to listen to the nonsense that comes out of Yusuke or Kuwabara's mouth."

"So what were you all talking about then? About you being hard to please, and how it was so hard to cancel her appointments…" She was so confused, yet relieved at the same time.

"Not that it's any of your business," Hiei started icily, "but Mukuro wants her company to become a part of Jaganshi Corp. I refuse to let her stain my name, and so time after time I decline. Her offers mean nothing to me." Hiei decided it would be best to leave it at that. He wasn't necessarily lying; he just didn't feel like expanding upon the whole truth. Her 'offers' were more like marriage proposals more than anything. Her idea of joining the companies was through matrimony. Hiei on the other hand, could give less about that sort of arrangement.

Breathing easy, Botan smiled. At least he wasn't doing what she thought he was doing. But then why did he look so flustered before... Taking another look at him Botan asked, "Hiei are you feeling alright? You don't look too good."

"I'm fine." He let out with a grunt, his voice lacking the harshness it once had. He sounded wearier than anything.

Not buying it, Botan took a step forward. Upon brushing her hand against Hiei's forehead, she frowned. "Hiei, you're sick!"

Looking upward at her hand rested on his head, Hiei glared. He grabbed her hand and brought it off of his forehead, still holding onto it. "Touch me again, and I break your-"

"-Threatening employees again, are we Hiei?"

Both heads turned to the doorway, only to be greeted by a familiar face. "Koenma!" Botan shouted overjoyed. She smiled watching him lean against the doorframe, seemingly without a care in the world. He grinned. "Hey, Botan, seems like you're getting along well with Hiei." He raised his eyebrows jokingly.

"What the hell do you want?" Hiei groaned, nearly sounding like a child, forgetting he was still gripped onto Botan's wrist.

"Don't worry, I'm not staying. I just came to tell you about the…" His eyes locked onto Botan as he smiled sheepishly. Taking the hint, Botan looked back at him fully knowing what he was getting at. She realized every time Koenma used that tone, it was because he was doing something important. "I guess that's my cue!" Before she could leave she looked down at her wrist. Hiei was still holding on to it. "Um… Hiei?"

"What?" He snapped.

"Can I have my wrist back?" She asked as he suddenly detached himself from her. Blushing, Botan laughed nervously, deciding now would be an excellent time to get back to work. "I'll see you two later!" She made her way out of the room, but peeked her head back in for one final time. "Don't overwork yourself Hiei, you'll end up getting worse! Take the weekend off or something!" Hiei cringed at her advice, while Koenma let out a small laugh, wondering which one of them was the boss.

Walking back to her desk, she made a mental note to tell Shizuru all about Yusuke and his rumor mill. Oh and she can't forget about the tensions between Yomi and Kurama. Then there was that Mukuro woman… just what the hell was going on in this place? There were just too many questions, in such a short amount of time.

Then her thoughts led her back to Hiei… something must have happened to make him look at the world in such a bleak manner. Remembering back to how cruelly he looked upon the world when he was in her apartment she sighed. Botan was going to figure out what happened to him, and maybe then she'd be able to understand him a little bit more.

-----

That's all for now. Not much plot-wise… but I'm getting there, I promise!


	4. Tokyo

**Unpredictable**

"**Talking"**

_**Thoughts**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!**

**A/N: Yeah, I know... It's been a while hasn't it? I had to reread the story and all my little notes about what I wanted to happen in this chapter before I started! That's how long its been! Sorry for the wait, but school's out so I've got all the time in the world now! D**

**Chapter 4: Tokyo**

Groaning, Botan got out of her bed and entered the kitchen. It was the night after she had resolved to dig into Hiei's past, and now he was the only thing plaguing her mind. Couldn't he let her have one peaceful night of rest? Botan had tried counting sheep, but everytime she did Hiei would pop into her head, and she'd have to count all over again! It was frustrating really.

Pouring herself a glass of water, Botan sat down at the table. Hinageshi was sleeping- meaning she was no help, and Botan didn't have the heart to wake the snoring girl up.

Now don't get her wrong. Hiei wasn't the source of her thoughts. His past was. All Botan knew about Hiei was that he had a twin sister, a cynical outlook on life, and a crap-load of money. There had to be more to him than that! Why did he have such a cynical outlook on life, what made him so... so Hiei?!

_Oh! How could I forget my first and possibly most important clue about Hiei! _Botan slapped her small hand against her forehead._ He didn't grow up with Yukina! I wonder why that is?_ Shizuru accidentally let it slip earlier today, and Botan made a mental note of it. At least she was getting somewhere! Then again, the only piece of substantial information she knew was because of an accident on Shizuru's part, but she was making headway nonetheless.

"Maybe his parents were divorced?" She tapped her fingers against the table, deep in thought. Maybe she was getting somewhere afterall...

**-------- The Following Morning ---------**

Hiei tapped his fingers impatiently on his desk, seeming to be contemplating something. Not even noticing the red-head slip into his office, Hiei's lips began to curve slightly downward. _What the hell is taking her so long?_

"Hiei, relax." Snapped out of his thoughts, Hiei looked up; his ruby eyes clashing with Kurama's emerald ones.

Clearly annoyed, Hiei glared at his partner. "What foolish notion gave you the idea that I was anything but calm?" He glanced down at his watch impatiently.

Kurama pointed over to Hiei's hands, a taunting smile upon his lips. "You're going to wear a hole in your desk if you continue to do that." Dare he say it, Hiei looked almost nervous. Kurama never seen him acting this way, especially not over a woman.

_Tch. I hate it when that bastard is always right._ In an instant Hiei stopped his tapping, straightening up a bit. Hiei cleared his throat, and checked his watch. "Where is that damn onna?"

"She said she'd be here soon. You know," Kurama started, contemplating whether he should tell Hiei what was on his mind, or close his mouth and leave his thoughts to himself. "You remind me of a love-sick teen getting ready to ask a girl out on a date."

A date? _A date?_ This was nothing like a date, just a business venture. He was going to ask Botan if she wanted to come, seeing as she was his assistant. Hiei would much rather go alone, but Kurama was the one who advised Hiei take someone along. The next best person would be Botan, after Kurama of course, and Hiei'd be damned if he let the two goons accompany him. "Fuck-"

"-You called?" Botan ran through Hiei's door fumbling with a stack of papers, which she set down on Hiei's desk. She looked like she had ran all the way up the stairs, and back. A pink glow tainted her cheeks, and her chest heaved up and down. Instead of looking fatigued however, she was still smiling and lively.

"Don't forget Hiei, stay calm," Kurama taunted.

Not finding the situation funny, Hiei retorted, "Don't you have something better you'd rather be doing right now... like your woman, Shizuru?"

Botan's head was bopping back and forth between the two, her blue ponytail bouncing back and forth as well. Her eyes landed on Kurama, who didn't seem dumbfounded by Hiei's answer. He smiled as if he expected it.

"You're right, Hiei. I believe she's waiting for me in the third floor bathroom stalls as we speak." Mischief glinted in his eyes which was directed towards Botan. Nodding at her, he left the office.

She smiled. _Ah, so Shizuru must have told him about Yusuke's rumors after I ratted him out._ At least Kurama didn't blow up upon hearing the news like Shizuru did. The brunette nearly killed Yusuke. Botan felt sort of guilty that she blabbed on Yusuke, but then again, the arrogant jerk did lie to her about Hiei and his... personal affairs.

_An eye for an eye, right?_ But when did she, of all people, start living by that rule? That's seemed more like something Hiei would do... Oh god, she was turning into Hiei. What happened to the happy, sentimental, caring, wouldn't-hurt-a-fly, Botan? Realizing she was over-reacting- which was something she often tended to do- Botan calmed down. It's not like she went around glaring at the people just for the sake of glaring at them, like Hiei did.

"Uh, Hiei? Why did you send for me?" Botan asked, twiddling her thumbs. She hoped it wasn't about the little mishap with the copy machine. It's not like she meant to do it! Her hand just... slipped.

Hiei slid a piece of paper forward. "I'm going away for a few days. There's a business convention..." He continued talking, but Botan didn't get past the fact that he was leaving.

She frowned a little, determined not to let him see it. She had become so accustomed to waking up every morning, coming to work, and seeing Hiei. It was like her day wasn't complete without him in it, shooting off inappropriate comments and poking fun at her. It certainly would be something different without him there, with her. There she went again, over-reacting! Botan sighed. _I really should go see someone about that._ Tuning her attention back to Hiei, she set her candy colored eyes upon his. He looked sort of... nervous?

"...In any case I would much rather be here than at that stupid convention listening to bakas ramble on about how far they've made it in the business world, but it's mandatory. Furthermore, I'd much rather go with Kurama than be accompanied by you, but he's got enough issues on his plate. The other two bakas are out of the question, so my last and final option is you."

She blinked, and then she blinked again. Looking down at the papers Hiei slid across the desk, she realized they were two tickets. "With... me?" Botan pointed at herself incredulously.

"You are my secretary aren't you?"

The blue-haired girl nodded. "I see. So where are we headed to?"

"Tokyo." He shrugged it off, not caring much for the place. To him, it was just another place filled with mindless idiots.

"...Tokyo?" She repeated, hesitantly. She didn't think she would ever return there, so soon. It would be nice to see it again. Unable to contain her excitement, Botan leaned over Hiei's desk and hugged him tightly.

A stiff Hiei stood on the receiving end of her hug. "Hey, Hiei I'm finished with those documents you wanted and I was wondering-" Kuwabara stopped mid-sentence, shaking his head a bit. Botan released Hiei, trying to conceal the unusual tint on her pale cheeks. "Getting jiggy with the new secretary huh? Geez, the least you could do is close your door! I'll just hand these over to Kurama then."

Before Kuwabara could leave, Hiei stopped him. "Kurama's currently busy. He's in the third floor bathroom, third stall to the left. I think you have enough brains to put together what's transpiring in there." Hiei smirked upon viewing Kuwabara's face fall in shock.

He grabbed his head in anguish. "No! So those rumors weren't just rumors!" He ran off, but everyone a mile away could hear a crazed, "I'll save you sis!"

"That wasn't very nice of you." Botan scolded, wagging her finger at him, as if she was scolding her baby.

"Hn. I'm not a very nice person." Hiei turned his head to the side, not really giving a damn.

Botan rolled her eyes. "I've realized... Anyway, when do we leave?" Her eyes shone with excitement as she leaned over his desk, eager to here his answer.

"Tomorrow," Hiei replied a bit taken back at her enthusiasm.

"I promise you, you won't regret bringing me along!" She winked at him, then hurriedly exited his office.

For a split second, Hiei actually believed her.

----------------

Cursing himself for even believing Botan's words held any truth yesterday, Hiei let out a groan of frustration. Somewhere between their flight, the pair had fallen asleep, and the next thing Hiei knew, Botan was curled up next to him. The first thing he noticed, was that something smelled _really_ good. Opening his eyes wider he realized it was ... Botan?!

Her hands were laced around his neck, she snuggled up as close as she could. The armrest had been put up, so there was nothing in between them.

It didn't help that he woke up to flashing lights- people taking pictures no doubt. A few flight attendants came and got the annoying pests to go back to their seats, but that still didn't stop the staring.

Hiei Jaganshi was with a _woman_. The callous, power-hungry, distant, _unreachable_ Hiei Jaganshi had just been snagged by some... seemingly "nobody."

Diverting his attention away from the 'bakas' who gawked at him, Hiei tried to pry Botan's hands off of his neck. It didn't help the fact that he had actually become comfortable with this position, and he had to force himself not to succumb to it.

"Onna. Get up," Hiei spat unraveling himself from her.

She stirred in her seat, then slowly began to open her eyes. Snuggling closer to the warm pillow she was currently lying on, Botan let out a happy sigh. That is until that pillow began to growl. Her eyes opened immediately and removed herself from her pillow, otherwise known as Hiei. Nervous laughter filled his ears as Botan tried to straighten herself out. "I'm... really sorry about falling asleep on you..." She blushed, feeling her heart thumping loudly in her chest.

"Hn. Just don't make it a habit." Hiei looked away from her, wondering when this 'damned' flight would be over.

----------------

Hours later the duo arrived to their lavish hotel, exhausted and irritated looks adorning the blue-haired beauty and the temperamental tycoon's faces, respectively. "The room's nice!" Botan glanced around at their room. _Funny, I thought Hiei would rather we had separate rooms, since he's so anti-social and all._

Hiei, who was currently seated on his bed, was covered in paperwork already. He looked up to see Botan at the threshold of the door, admiring the place, with a hint of curiosity gleaming in her eyes. "Don't get used to this, onna. The only reason we're in the same room is because that air-head receptionist forgot to book an extra room for you."

Botan put on her trademark 'kitty face'. "Hey! I never even said anything about the one-room situation! I was just admiring the place!"

"Your feelings are written on your face like words on a book. Even Kuwa_baka_ would be able to decipher what was going on in that minuscule mind of yours." He smirked a bit upon seeing her frown.

Walking over to the bed next to Hiei's, Botan rested her belongings on the floor. "Gee, thanks Hiei. You always know how to make a girl feel special." Then Botan's pout turned into a devious smile. "Especially that Mukuro woman! I bet you both hit it off the moment your eyes met!" Botan sighed dreamily, eager to hear Hiei's response.

"You're delusional. That onna is one I'd rather not get involved with, unlike your relations with that brat Koenma." Hiei took note of her mouth hanging open, wordlessly and continued, "We all know the real reason you were his top assistant wasn't because of your skills." The black-haired man continued ruffling through his papers trying to hide his amusement.

If it was possible, Botan's jaw hung lower. Clamping her mouth shut and glaring at her boss, Botan crossed her arms. "I'll have you know Hiei Jaganshi, I was Koenma's best assistant for damn good reason, and it wasn't because of whatever it is that you're dirty mind conjured up!" She screeched. "And furthermore, the only reason you don't seem interested in a _perfectly fine girl_ like Mukuro is probably because your sexual preferences aren't fully consummated by females!"

_Hn. She's got guts, I'll give her that much._ Hiei inwardly smirked at Botan's brashness. He figured her to be the type of goody-goody-two-shoes who worshiped the ground those higher than her walked on. At least she had _some_ spine. Slowly getting up he walked towards the bathroom and shut the door.

Botan covered her mouth. _Ugh! Stupid, stupid, STUPID, mouth! Maybe I hit pretty close to home with that last comment... could he really... could he really be gay?! I bet this is the end of my career... I definitely crossed the line this time!_ Botan flopped down on her bed, exhausted. She couldn't even believe the words that came out of her mouth. She was usually so chipper, so ... so not like what just transpired! But it wasn't entirely her fault. Hiei brought out these feelings in her that she never knew she possessed. Ugh! Life just wasn't fair!

Just then, the bathroom door opened, and a bare-chested Hiei could be seen through the crack. Botan's skin flushed at the sight of his tanned chest. "I almost forgot. You must be getting rusty if Koenma so willingly handed you over to me. Too bad, I like my women with a bit more... substance."

Botan's face became a deeper shade of red, due to the embarrassment and anger she felt. Gritting her teeth in frustration, she hurled a pillow from her bed at Hiei. Too bad he shut the door before it could get in. _I could just see the smirk on his sexy little face now._ Wait. Sexy little face?! No, no! That's not what she meant. What she meant to say was stupid, **stupid** little face. And she did too have substance! Granted she wasn't some voluptuous woman straight out of a porno flick, but, it wasn't like she was as flat as a board or anything.

"Great, just great. Now I'm turning into some insecure, head-over-heels, teenager!" Botan sighed. This wasn't good. Nope. Not one bit. Something had to be done... she'd just occupy herself with something else. He was her boss for crying out loud! She shouldn't get so riled up over every little thing he said. He was first and foremost her superior (in the workplace of course) and they should convey an air of professionalism when around each other, rather than that of two bickering fools. Instead of focusing on Hiei, she'd... carry out her new mission!

Operation: Hiei's past! Botan looked around the room, searching for clues about Hiei. Sweatdropping, Botan concluded a hotel room might not have been the best place to dig up information on Hiei. The girl would have to wait until either Hiei let down his guard, or until they returned back home, where all of Hiei's friends were. She was sure she would be able to get _something_ worthwile out of Kuwabara and Yusuke.

Consequently, Hiei was having similar thoughts. Letting the water sprinkle down on him, he let his mind wander. All thoughts however, led back to Botan. If it wasn't how annoying she was, it was how absentminded she was, and if it wasn't how absentminded she was, it was how cute she looked when she got riled up-

-That's when Hiei caught himself. She was just one woman. He had thousands of them at his disposal, who'd do anything just for a chance to be close to him, but there was no one quite like Botan. She was so happy all the time, and cheerful... it revolted him actually. First, he couldn't stand to be around her... but overtime, he became accustomed to her light-hearted ways.

Hiei didn't even notice how easily he and everyone else in their tight knit group had accepted Botan. It wasn't as if Hiei didn't want her to be excepted. It just usually took him much longer to open up to someone, and yet here he was throwing playful banter her way. This wasn't him. Not at all. He subconsciously let his mask slip, and though he wouldn't admit it, it felt damn _good_.

Still. There was something about her. A haze of mystery, that Hiei couldn't quite dissipate. Something else lay beneath all those beaming smiles, and bright eyes. Something that Botan didn't want to resurface. Hiei often became intrigued with enigmas, and that's exactly what Botan was. She was a mystery, and every mystery needed to be cracked.

Turning off the water and wrapping the towel securely around his waist, Hiei walked out of the bathroom to retrieve his clothes. To his surprise, although he didn't show it, Botan was sitting on his bed organizing the papers that were once strewn all over it. "Hn, finally found something constructive to do?"

_Figures, he wouldn't say something along the lines of 'thank you Botan,' or anything remotely similar._ Botan looked up, only to see that Hiei was almost naked. "Put some clothes on!" The girl buried her face in her hands as an attempt to both shield her eyes from something she could potentially take pleasure in watching, and covering the blush that crept onto her cheeks.

Hiei snorted. "Calm down onna, I'm getting my clothes as we speak." She let out a muffled "good." Hiei shook his head at the girls prude nature, wondering how she could get so flustered over something so trivial. It wasn't like he was naked or anything. "We have a meeting in an hour, I suggest you settle in and then begin to get ready. I don't like being late." With that, the arrogant man returned to the bathroom and shut the door.

----------------

Two and a half painstaking hours later, the duo was finally back in the vicinity of their hotel room. "Finally, it's over," Botan breathed out as she let herself fall onto her bed.

Hiei watched her, raising a brow. "Pathetic."

"Sorry, it's just that Koenma's meetings were never _this_ boring! All those tycoons seemed like...well... the living dead!" Botan exclaimed.

Hiei shrugged. "You get used to it."

"Well... I don't think I can take much more of this," The blue-haired woman whined. Whatever happened to that air of professionalism she wanted to hold whenever she was around Hiei? Sometime during the duration of the wearisome meeting, Botan figured she was being a bit extreme with the whole: 'only be professional thing'. It worked out just fine when she and Koenma were both coworkers and friends. So why shouldn't it work with Hiei?

Hiei glared at her, "Onn-"

"-I know, I know! You need someone who can handle the pressures of this job! And I'm just the girl for that! Bring on the boring meetings, and excruciatingly painful appointments. I can handle it all!" Botan put on a face of resoluteness.

Fighting the urge to laugh at her lame attempt, Hiei continued, "No meetings will be held tomorrow, do what you wish, but don't expect me to hang around."

Relief seeped through Botan's flawless face. "That's great! I wanted to buy souvenirs and stuff for everybody! Plus a day off would be so relaxing and everything- wait! You're going to just leave me?"

"No, I intend on staying here."

Botan pouted. "Aw you're not fun! Why would you want to stay in a stuffy room like this for the whole day?"

"To get away from you." He glared pointedly.

"Aw c'mon Hiei, I can't be that bad! Plus, I don't know Tokyo that well. What if I get lost?"

"It's your own damn problem."

Blatantly ignoring him, she continued, "Plus I'd be awfully lonely all by myself, surrounded by a bunch of strangers. You don't want that do you?"

"I do."

"I didn't think you would. Also, due to the fact that I'm alone, what if I run into a bit of trouble! You wouldn't really leave a poor defenseless girl all alone in a foreign town, now would you?"

"I would."

"You're too kind, Hiei. Therefore, on behalf of your kindness-"

"Shut up!" His eyes shot daggers into her own, and his fists were balled at his sides. Botan jumped a little at his outburst, not expecting it. "Just shut the hell up. I'll go with you, but only for a while!" Hiei hated himself for giving in, but right now he had a splitting headache, and she was only adding more fuel to the fire.

Gleaming, she cheered. "Bingo! That's the spirit Hiei! We'll have lots of fun, I promise!"

_Damn optimist. _"Whatever, just go to sleep," Hiei advised. Taking his advice, she went into the bathroom, getting ready for some much deserved rest. _Operation: Hiei's past, is underway as of tomorrow! _She let out a small giggle in all her excitement.

"Shut up!"

"Alright, Mr. Grumpy-pants, I'm going to sleep! Speaking of sleep, I'm sorry about falling asleep on you on the airplane..." Botan exited the bathroom and made her way to her soft, _comfortable_ bed.

Hiei sighed. "It wouldn't be a big deal if all those bakas hadn't taken photographs."

"P-people took pictures?!" She asked apprehensively.

Hiei snorted, "No shit, and they'll probably be all over the covers of tabloids, and other foolish wastes of time."

"But all I did was fall asleep. It could happen to anyone, really..." Botan was clueless as to why the matter would be blown out of hand.

"What may seem like an innocent encounter to bystanders is always blown up by those damn reporters. They'll probably write about something absurd like you being my- my..."

"...Mukuro?" Botan answered for lack of better terms. Hiei nodded, although she probably couldn't see him in the dark, his silence led her to believe it was the answer. It was bad enough people took pictures of her sleeping and leaning on Hiei, but they took it to a whole new level.

Normal people would just think they were a couple... but reporters... they'd make it seem as if Hiei and Botan were only in it for the physical aspect of the relationship. Similar to what Botan previously believed Mukuro's relationship to Hiei was due to Yusuke's immaturity.

"Ugh! I'm not your prostitute, Hiei! How could people even come close to thinking such unnatural things!" Botan protested, no longer able to contain her thoughts to herself.

"Don't ask me. The idea of sleeping with you is revolting." The duo simultaneously tried to rid themselves of the unnatural thoughts that plagued their mind, as they got ready for bed.

----------------

"So, how much you wanna bet they're doing it _right now_?" Yusuke questioned, a sly grin contorting his face. Kuwabara stood beside him, sporting a similar look on his narrow face. Shizuru, Yukina, and Kurama all walked away from them, not even in the mood to deal with their shenanigans at such ungodly hours of the night.

"Y-yukina baby! I was only joking! Come back here my sweet maiden!" Kuwabara ran after them, leaving Yusuke alone.

"Am I the only one who thinks Hiei's getting lucky tonight?!" He screamed at no one in particular.

----------------

Haha! I couldn't resist that last part! Thanks so much to all the reviewers who have reviewed so far:

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You've all been such wonderful people, and I love you! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! I hope this chapter was to your liking. I was really focused on updating quickly, so sorry for any errors. Leave a review and tell me whatchya thought!


	5. Tokyo Pt II

**Unpredictable**

"**Talking"**

_**Thoughts**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!**

**Chapter 5: Tokyo Pt. II**

Yukina walked into Jaganshi-Corp, and headed over to where Shizuru and the others were seated for lunch. "Hello guys!" She smiled brightly, sitting herself down at the table.

Kurama and Shizuru were both fixing themselves coffee, while Yusuke and Kuwabara were snickering to themselves about something or the other. Catching a glimpse of Yukina, Kuwabara turned away from their plotting, and sat down next to her. Following suit, Yusuke sat down on the other side of Yukina.

"Yukina! What's up, my sweet?" Kuwabara began rambling to her as Shizuru glared at her younger brother. That's when she notice of what was in her the younger girl's hands and sighed. "Put those things down, Yukina. You know they're nothing but a pack of lies." Shizuru pointed to the tabloids in the girls hand.

"I know," She smiled apologetically, "But someone at the hospital told me my brother was in this one!" She flipped through the pages and found the one with Hiei. "See?" The ruby eyed girl motioned towards the page.

Kuwabara laughed, "Hey Botan's in it too!"

Kurama stirred his coffee and sighed. "You'd think they would at least give people privacy when they're thousands of feet above normal altitude."

"Tell me about it," Shizuru muttered running a hand through her hair.

Yusuke began laughing raucously, turning all of their attention to him. "What's so funny?" Kuwabara asked. "I told you! I told you all they'd sleep together last night!" Yusuke pointed to the picture of Botan and Hiei fast asleep on the plane. Botan was resting on Hiei, and he didn't seem to be bothered by it, due to the fact that he himself was fast asleep as well.

"That hardly counts," Kurama informed, sipping his coffee.

"Well, it's still sleeping together!" Yusuke exclaimed, too engrossed in the picture.

"Yes, but not in the context you meant it in," Kurama added, swiftly chucking a cigarette Shizuru was about to use in the wastebasket. Shizuru grumbled something as she crossed her arms.

"Not according to this!" Yusuke snickered as he flipped through the pages. "They think Botan is some gold-digger, that is apparently after Hiei's money."

"That's awful! She would never!" Yukina cried, absorbed in the tall-tales the tabloid magazine contained. "How do people think up such horrible things to write about others?"

Kuwabara patted her back. "Don't worry, with me around they'll never write such things about you, Yukina!" She smiled gratefully. "That's nice of you to say, Kazuma. I just hope my brother and Botan don't get too upset because of this."

"Don't worry about it, kiddo! It won't bother them in the least. They're both mature adults." Shizuru reassured her, patting her back comfortingly. "Even though they don't act like it half the time..." She muttered to herself quietly.

* * *

"This is absolutely horrible!" Botan shrieked, as Hiei ran up towards her. They were currently in the streets of Tokyo in search of one more souvenir shop. "What's wrong?"

"This is what's wrong Hiei!" She shoved a tabloid in his face. "It's horrible!"

Eying the pictures carefully, he clenched his fists. There were pictures of Botan and himself, on the airplane... together. "Don't pay attention to this nonsense. You know damn well it's all lies," he sneered.

Her eyes widened. "I know, but still. Did they have to make up such outrageous stories?!"

Hiei stuck his hands in his pockets. "You shouldn't let it get to you. If you're working for me, I'm sure there will be many more to come."

Botan moaned, as she rubbed her temples. "This never came in the job description..." She chucked the tabloid in the nearest receptacle, and caught site of a small souvenir shop. "Oh, Hiei!" Her disposition took a complete turn around.

"What is it?" He winced at the chipper sound of her voice.

"Look!" She pointed to a small shop a few feet away. "I bet they'll have something nice for Kurama! I've already found things for Yusuke, Kuwabara, Yukina, Shizuru, Hinageshi, Shura, and Koenma. Kurama's the only one left." She counted on her fingers as she spoke.

Nodding, Hiei followed her into the store, and she began looking around. "What do you think about this rose pendant for Kurama? I know, it's girl-ish, but something tells me he's a rose kind of guy-"

"Botan?" A familiar voice resonated in her head, making her heart beat faster. It sounded just like _him_, albeit the voice sounded aged, but it still sounded the same. Botan tensed and turned around to face the man. Hiei followed suit.

The man looked like he was in his early fifties. His hair was jet-black, wisps of gray peering through. His navy-blue eyes held a mischievous twinkle, and his lips curved slightly. "...S-satomi-san." She breathed out, as she latched on to him.

"You've grown up into a lovely young-woman, Botan." He praised, as she released him and wiped away a few stray tears that had fallen. He remembered the small, chubby little girl, with big bright eyes, and a smile lighter than the sun. She looked mostly the same, although her face had more mature features.

Botan smiled. "Thank you. I'm sorry I haven't kept in contact... I wanted to call, I just-"

"It's quite alright, I understand." His voice was sincere and reassuring. "How have you been?"

"I've been fine, what about you..."

Satomi sighed, "Taking it one day at a time."

Taking what one day at a time exactly? Hiei's thoughts were swirling among his mind. It seemed as if the two were speaking in code or something!

Botan face fell as she gave him a sympathetic look. Deciding to change the subject, Satomi motioned towards Hiei. "Are you and he- together?"

They duo stared at each other wide-eyed for a moment before averting their stares to Satomi. "No!" They both spat at the same time.

"This is my boss, Hiei Jaganshi. You know, the notorious tycoon, owner of Jaganshi Corp!"

An embarrassed grin graced the man's features. "Sorry about that, nice to meet you." He extended his hand, of which Hiei accepted.

_Strange._ Botan thought. _The last time I tried to greet him like that he just shrugged me off... I guess he respects some people, like those older than he is. _"Hiei, this is Satomi, my..." Botan trailed off, looking for the right word.

"Care-taker," Satomi said simply.

Noting the tension in the room Hiei decided to go along with their little facade. He'd figure it all out sooner or later anyway. Nodding in response, Hiei looked towards Botan. "We're running late. I'll leave you to say your goodbye's, onna." With that said he quickly exited the store before Botan could protest.

Hugging the man one last time, Botan fought back a few tears. "It was really good to see you again, I'll come back and visit, I promise."

Feeling the girl's familiar warmth, Satomi smiled. "I know you will, and if you need anything you know where I'll be."

She made an attempt to leave, but remembered her souvenir for Kurama. "Oh!" She turned around. "I completely forgot, I still have to purchase this!" She opened her hand to reveal a beautifully handmade rose pendant.

"Keep it, it's yours."

"Y-you own this place?" Botan stared incredulously as he nodded. "Well, I guess its not that much of a surprise... you always did have a knack for giving people just the right things."

He smiled at her once more, the glint of happiness in his deep blue eyes never once fading. "Goodbye, Botan."

"Goodbye."

* * *

The rest of the day was spent lounging around the hotel. Unfortunately, their telephone was out of order, so it was impossible to call room-service. Therefore, Hiei was currently downstairs, ordering them some lunch. She was glad, in a way, that the phone was broken. She didn't want Hiei to see her in the state she was currently in.

Botan was standing in front of her bed, flicking through the channels. Once she found her favorite day-time soap opera, she climbed onto the bed, and sat under the covers. It was her favorite rerun playing, but none of that mattered! Botan was lost, swimming in a pool of her own thoughts.

She could feel all those painful memories resurfacing, the ones she tried so hard to forget! At first, coming to Tokyo seemed to be a good idea, but now...

She should have known better than to come to Tokyo of all places. She should have just refused to go with Hiei. Facing an angry Hiei would be ten times easier than reliving the nightmare she called life so long ago. Granted, others didn't think it was that much of a nightmare, but they only saw what was in front of their eyes. They never cared to look beneath the surface, not that she blamed them though.

Botan breathed in slowly. It was hard to have to relive all these suffocating feelings, when you've tried so hard to rid yourself of them. It just wasn't fair! Botan felt that annoying lump in the back of her throat that made it difficult to breath and swallow. She sniffed, as hot tears stung her eyes, threatening to spill. Squeezing her eyes shut, she slapped her hand down on the bed. Why, after all these years did this place still affect her so much?

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Botan sighed. Why couldn't she be a stronger person, like Hiei. He didn't let anything affect him. Nothing at all. She, on the other hand, was much more fragile. One little reunion, and her whole life came crashing down. Maybe, if she were more like Hiei she could finally move on with her life, instead of dwelling in the past. But the truth was, she wasn't like Hiei, and never would be. It just wasn't _fair_.

Just then, Hiei came through the door carrying both of their lunches in his hands. Botan hadn't taken notice of him, still deep in her own thoughts, sniffling, and tearing up. Setting both their lunches down on the nearby table, Hiei sighed. This assistant of his was way too emotional. He should have known he was getting into trouble the moment he hired her. However, he wasn't too concerned about the girl, since other matters seemed more important than hiring an assistant at the moment.

Soon after, Hiei had noticed things about her, that bugged him. That whole last name thing, was definitely one of his biggest concerns. She was hiding something, and behind all those smiles lied a deeper, darker secret. Then, ever since their run in with Satomi, her smiles had been forced, steps weary, and replies hesitant. Something was bugging her, and Hiei was willing to bet it had something to do with her past. He wanted to know more about her past, but not because he cared about her or anything of that nature. She was his assistant after all, and it was Hiei's right to check up on her.

"Onna, quit your useless sobbing." He noted her shoulders tense up at the sound of her voice, and her head snapped in his direction.

"Oh, you're back. I was just watching my soaps! These things just get me so emotional sometimes!" She lied as she plastered a nervous grin on her tear-stained face.

"I don't seem to remember if I cared. All I wanted was for you to stop." He knew he was being a bit harsh, but she had to learn sometime that crying didn't solve anything. Hiei rolled his eyes as he saw her get up and slowly walk into the bathroom to wash up. Watching her cry made him feel uncomfortable. Watching anyone cry did that to him. It wasn't as if he cared about that person and their well being, he just hated watching weak people. Crying was just an outward sign of weakness, plain and simple. The way Hiei saw it. You could either move on from your problems, or remain trapped in them. Crying just kept you trapped.

Botan returned from the bathroom and walked over to where Hiei was sitting at the table. A_t least he didn't ask me why I was crying. Not that I expected to him to._ For him to ask, it would mean he was concerned. And Hiei didn't let his emotions slip through the cracks so easily. But Hiei was right in a way. She shouldn't sit around and dwell in the past. Crying accomplished nothing, and if he hadn't walked through the door, she probably would've curled herself in a ball and spent the rest of the day in her bed, weeping. "Thanks for bringing my food up for me, Hiei."

"Just eat. I could hear your stomach growling from all the way across the room."

Botan's cotton-candy eyes widened upon hearing his statement. Her hand instinctively clutched her stomach as she smiled sheepishly. The food did smell awfully good, and she had no clue of her hunger due to the emotional state she was in before. She dug in, deciding it would be best to eat before Hiei let out one of his famous off-handed comments. She couldn't really be angry at him though. Not today.

* * *

The rest of their time in Tokyo had been fairly normal. Botan slowly regained her former self, and Hiei remained the same uncaring, temperamental, yet intriguing boss she had met from day one. On their ride home, Botan refrained from falling asleep on Hiei's shoulder again, not wanted a horde of cameras and paparazzi catching them off guard again. They arrived back at Jaganshi Corp around five in the afternoon.

While on the elevator, on the way to the top floor, Botan turned to Hiei. "I know this is odd of me to ask. But, could you please refrain from telling the others about what happened in Tokyo. I know you didn't believe me when I told you the reason why I was crying, and you were right to... but, I just ..." She trailed off.

"Onna. What makes you think it even mattered enough for me to tell anyone in the first place? I've already forgotten about it," He lied, eyes boring into her own. "Plus, even if I manage to remember something as trivial as that... your secret would be safe with me." Botan smiled at him, her eyes lighting up, and with that they both stepped out of the elevator and made their way down the hall. Once they reached Botan's cubicle, they were bombarded by the others.

"Hey, you're back!" Kuwabara got up from his feet to greet them. Well, more so to greet Botan. Following him, were Yusuke and Shizuru. "How goes it, lovebirds?" Yusuke teased.

Hiei glared at him. "Relax, I'm just kidding, or have you two not seen the hottest issue on every tabloid."

"We've seen it," Botan sighed. "It's completely ridiculous."

"That a girl," Shizuru patted Botan's back. "Yukina came by before, and she seemed pretty upset over the whole ordeal. I told her it wouldn't affect you both, and by the looks of it, I was right." Botan nodded to her friend.

"I take it your stay was comfortable." Kurama stated, walking out of his office, shuffling through the papers in his hand. His emerald eyes looked up from examining the documents to greet the pair. "It was." Botan smiled.

"As comfortable as watching old stiffs can get," Hiei added, loosening his tie.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Botan began digging through her bag to find the souvenirs. "I got you all keep-sakes!" She pulled out a smaller bag containing gifts that ranged from a small cat that looked like Eikichi, to jewelry. Accepting their gifts graciously, Shizuru dragged Kuwabara and Yusuke off to their desks, stating they had a lot of work to finish up. That left Kurama, Hiei, and Botan at her desk.

Kurama turned to Hiei. "We've got some affairs to attend to, concerning Yomi and Mukuro." His voice was low and cautious.

Hiei snarled. "Don't they have anything better to do push themselves into our affairs?"

"Apparently not," Kurama said as they both walked away.

Botan sat down in her chair, and sighed. The past days were eventful, and she had the feeling if she continued to work with Hiei, her life would be filled with a lot more surprises. "Shizuru!" She called as the brunette walked over to her. "Could you fill me in on Yomi and Mukuro a bit more. They come around a lot, and Hiei doesn't seem to like it... neither does Kurama, now that I think about it."

"Well, I'm sure Yusuke and Kuwabara told you about Mukuro." Botan nodded. "She wants to merge her company with Hiei's right? But Hiei continues to decline her offers."

"You're right, but that's not all. Her idea of merging is through marriage," Shizuru added.

"WHAT!?" Botan gasped out loud. Shizuru laughed at the younger girl's outburst. "It's true."

_Marriage? You can't just force that upon a person! It's bad enough she wants to join companies, but she also wants to marry him? _Botan felt disgusted at the thought. If Hiei didn't want to be married, then just leave him be, she figured.

"Yomi also wants a share of Jaganshi Corp. But his relations lie with Kurama. They have always been rivals from the start, and I'm guessing Yomi just wants what Kurama has. You know, typical men."

Botan nodded. "Thanks. I was a bit confused about everything going on, but I guess it's all clear now."

"Sure thing Bo," Shizuru lay a hand on Botan's shoulder then walked back to her own desk.

"Good." Botan muttered to herself as she put her kitty face on. "Now, that this whole Yomi and Mukuro thing is cleared up, I can focus more on my mission! I probably won't get anymore information on Shizuru about Hiei's personal lives, but Yusuke and Kuwabara are a sure bet. Kurama's definitely out of the picture, I doubt he'd let anything slip..."

"What was that Botan?"

Botan jumped a little, letting out a nervous laugh. "You startled me, Kurama," she breathed out, resting a hand on her chest.

Kurama let out a short chuckle. He had just come out of Hiei's office and was on his way back to his own. "I just thought I heard you call my name, is all." Botan shook her head 'no.' "I was just ...talking to myself. Heh. You know how it is when you've got a lot on your mind."

"I know the feeling all too well," Kurama answered as he walked back to his office.

Botan sighed. _That was close. I better keep my thoughts inside from now _on. Oh well, at least he didn't hear her, and she was free for the rest of the day to go snooping, since Hiei hadn't left her any work. She let out a devious smile as she felt her mischievous side taking over. "Onna," Hiei called.

Botan got up from her seat and ran into his office. "Yes?"

He handed her a stack of paper, and her smile fell. "Don't blame me. It seems the bakas don't know how to handle the company for a mere three days. If you're angry at anyone, be angry at them."

"I'm not angry, just a bit disappointed." She whined. Now she wouldn't be able to carry out her mission! "I'll be going then," Botan said as Hiei nodded and she made her way out of his office. A few seconds later she returned, holding something behind her back.

"I forgot to give you your souvenir!"

Hiei stared at her incredulously. "Onna, in case you've forgotten, I was in Tokyo with you." He mocked. "Souvenirs are presents for those who didn't accompany you on the trip."

"I know," Botan fidgeted, "but you didn't buy yourself anything, and I figured I might as well." She handed him a paper weight in the shape of a dragon. "It seemed to suit you."

"Take it back, I have no use for such trivial things. Just give it to one of the bakas or something," Hiei retorted putting it back into Botan's hands. He wasn't used to accepting gifts, and it just didn't feel right.

"Nonsense!" Botan shoved it back in Hiei's hands. "I'm giving it to you. What you chose to do with it is your choice entirely." With that, she ran off back to her cubicle humming a chipper tune.

Hiei sat down in his chair, still holding on to the silver dragon. Botan did say he could do whatever he wanted with it, and Hiei had half the mind to chuck it in the garbage... _Damn that onna._

Hours later, Botan had completed filing out her stack of papers. She turned to shut her computer off, but she suddenly stopped. It wouldn't hurt to carry out her mission, and find some information about Hiei through the internet, now would it?

She typed in his name, and waited for the search results. Most of the information was of the present, hair and eye-color, height, weight, etc. Every time she thought she found a lead, it would end up to be some crazed story written by someone seeking attention. Giving up in her fruitless attempts, she finally shut the computer off. _I guess I'll just have to stick to getting things the old fashioned way._

Picking up the stack of freshly printed documents, Botan made her way into Hiei's office. He wasn't in there, so she just set the papers on his desk. Something glinted on his desk, and she didn't hesitate to find out what it was. Looking closer, Botan saw that it was the paper weight she had given him earlier. She couldn't help but let out a small victorious grin. "I knew he'd use it!"

Underneath the dragon was a check accompanied by a small note. Curiosity taking over, Botan picked up the paper-weight, and proceeded to read the little note. '_Maybe now you can find a suitable way to fix up that hell-hole.'_

Leaning in closer to the view the check, Botan found that it was made out to an orphanage. Suddenly it all clicked. The way Hiei wrote the note indicated he must have been there before. Meaning, Hiei and Yukina both grew up in orphanages, and must have gotten separated. That's why they never lived together.

But still. That didn't explain why Hiei turned out to be so... Hiei-like! There had to be more to it! She'd find out soon enough though, at the rate she was going. Or at least that's what Botan hoped. Just then, Hiei's harsh voice cut through her thoughts.

"Don't flatter yourself onna, I was just about to throw it away."

"Huh?" Botan looked down to find the dragon still in her hand. Fidgeting, she put the trinket back onto Hiei's desk nervously, hoping he hadn't seen her snooping around. She looked up to see Hiei walking out of the door that was towards the back of his office.

Taking a moment to regain her composure, Botan sighed. _He should really learn something or two about sneaking up on unsuspecting people! _"Anyway. I finished my work for the day, so if it's alright with you, I'd like to go home now."

He nodded, and she let out the small breath she was holding. "Goodnight, then." Her head was down to stave off any unnecessary eye contact. If Hiei saw her face, he'd automatically know she was up to something, and Botan couldn't have _that_ happen.

Mistaking her nervousness for sadness, he sighed. "Perhaps there is some use to it after all." He picked up the souvenir. "If all else fails it could use it to knock some sense into certain fools."

Botan turned around and smiled graciously. "I'm glad you think so." As she walked out of his office, she couldn't keep the smile off of his face. That's the closest thing to a 'thanks' that she'd ever gotten from Hiei. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. _Must be the food from the airplane..._ Botan thought absentmindedly as she walked back to her desk.

* * *

Is there something more to this Satomi character? Is Hiei starting to warm up to Botan? Is Botan confusing love with an upset stomach? Or... was it just plain and simple bad food?! And when will Hiei and Botan's pasts be unveiled?! Who knows. [sigh Anyway! Thanks to all those who are reading/reviewing the story! I'm getting positive feedback, so I'm gonna try to keep on updating! Hope you liked it! 


	6. Call Me

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 6: Call Me

--

Last time:

Botan turned around and smiled graciously. "I'm glad you think so." As she walked out of his office, she couldn't keep the smile off of his face. That's the closest thing to a 'thanks' that she'd ever gotten from Hiei. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. _Must be the food from the airplane..._ Botan thought absentmindedly as she walked back to her desk.

--

Turns out, that warm and fuzzy feeling inside was, in fact, due to the food from the airplane. Botan had gotten food poisoning, and was left in the care of Hinageshi for three days. She shifted uncomfortably in her bed. Three days... it had been three days since she last saw Hiei, and three days since she hadn't gotten a good enough night's rest.

Every time she tried to fall asleep, she'd end up thinking of Hiei. Hiei and his 'stupid' pointy black hair. Hiei and his piercing ruby eyes. Hiei and that 'stupid' smirk of his... Everything just led back to Hiei! It was so frustrating.

Botan had tried counting sheep... that always worked for her. But this time, Hiei would pop into her head and make her have to start counting all over again! It was an endless, vicious, cycle. She kept wondering what he was doing now, if he had lost his temper with Kuwabara and Yusuke again, or if he was bombarded with work without her there.

Hinageshi entered the room, breaking Botan out of her Hiei-induced thoughts. "Hey, you look much better than yesterday." She said as she felt Botan's forehead. "And you're temperature went down."

"Finally!" Botan breathed out. "I told you I was feeling better yesterday. I could've went to work then. I don't know how much longer I can take being imprisoned in my own room!"

"Or," Hinageshi started with a sly raise of her eyebrow, "you didn't know how much longer you could stand to be away from your lover-boy, Hiei!"

Immediately the blue-haired girl began to blush furiously. "That's absurd! In fact I was happy to be away from him and his arrogant tendencies!" Botan lied, pulling the covers up to hid her flushed face.

Hinageshi jumped on the bed, and tried to pry the covers off of Botan. "Aw, c'mon don't be like that, Botan! I know you like him! Just tell me!" Giving up on her futile efforts she sat upright and pouted, crossing her arms. "And here I thought we were friends..."

Botan peeled the covers down slowly. "It's not like that, Hina. It's just that... well... he's different! I mean, there's so much about him that I don't know, and you know me, I'm always up for a good mystery!" Botan put on her kitty face and let out a small, "me-ow!"

Hinageshi got off of the bed. "Yeah, that is true. But I still think you like him!" She quickly ran out of the room while singing to herself: "B-chan and Hiei sittin' in a tree..."

"That girl..." Botan sighed, "is just too much."

Getting up from her bed and stretching Botan sighed. It was time to get ready for work, and Botan was not planning on being late today. It was her first day back, after all. She probably had a lot of work to do.

--

"So you had food-poisoning too, huh?" Shizuru asked as she sat down next to Botan in the cafeteria. Botan nodded. _Wait- too? _"What do you mean-"

"-Oh, you didn't know. Hiei was out as well. Kurama said something about it being the food from the airplane." She smoothed out the ruffles in her skirt as she spoke casually of Hiei's sickness.

So Hiei was sick too. Botan didn't even think Hiei could get sick, seeing as he always had such control over everything in his life, but he was human and humans got sick. "Well, is he alright?" Botan asked concern seeping through her features.

"Yeah, but he sure as hell didn't want to take days off. Hiei came in to work, even though he looked like hell. Kurama advised him to go home, but as you know, he didn't listen. A few dizzy spells, and an upchuck later, Hiei finally decided it'd be best to take the day off. If you ask me, I'd say it was a mixture of exhaustion and bad food. He tends to overwork himself, and I'm not even sure of the reason why he works so hard.

Shizuru's depiction of Hiei's illness only made the situation seem worse, in Botan's eyes. "That's horrible, I've got to go see him!" She stood up quickly, but Shizuru grabbed her hand. "I heard he's alright, Botan. Don't get so worked up. Hiei should be back today."

Shizuru always had a way of grounding Botan and making her see things clearly. In that aspect she reminded Botan of a sort of mother figure. It felt really good to have someone care for her like that, and Botan usually listened to everything Shizuru said... but right now, she just really wanted to see Hiei, no matter how much Shizuru said Hiei was fine.

Botan nodded at her and sat down. "Sorry, it's just..."

"I know, you're too caring for you're own good," Shizuru replied as she pulled out a cigarette. Before it reached her mouth, someone had already disposed of it. "Good morning Kurama," the brunette said as she turned to give him a half-smile.

Kurama looked down at Shizuru, ready to give her one of his famous lectures. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you-"

"-Don't be so rude, Botan's back. Don't you at least want to say 'hi,' to the girl?"

Kurama turned his emerald orbs to the left, only to be greeted with the sight of Botan smiling sheepishly. "Don't let me ruin your little lovers spat. Carry on!" She grinned. This was better than her romance novels!

Ignoring Botan's comment, Kurama smiled. "It's good to have you back. I take it you're feeling well now?" She nodded, putting up a victory sign. "Much better, thank you!"

"That's good to know. We wouldn't want you overworking yourself like a certain temperamental tycoon we all know..." Kurama added, smiling solemnly at Botan.

_Hiei_... The mention of him alone was enough to bring Botan's heart thumping. She really did hope he was okay. And just like that her thoughts were back to him. It wasn't fair, couldn't he leave her alone for one measly second?

"Well what do you know, Botan's back!"

"Yusuke!" Botan exclaimed in delight as she cocked her head to see Yusuke and Kuwabara walking up to Kurama, Shizuru, and herself. Yusuke slid into the chair next to Botan's and put an arm around her. "And here I was beginning to think you and Hiei went on your own little vacation and forgot about us!" His teasing voice was enough to break her out of her reverie.

"Good to have you back, Botan!" Kuwabara sat down next to Yusuke, trying to fix his tie. She smiled, ignoring Yusuke's tactless comment. "Thanks guys. I'm glad to be back. I missed you all, even though it's only been a few days!"

"Same here," Kuwabara's sincere smile was erased by the irritating tie around his neck. Finally giving up on the prospect of wearing such an atrocious thing, he took it off. "Sis, I don't even know why you wanted me to put this silly thing on!"

"I was trying to introduce you to a little something called professionalism, but I guess I should have known better." The older girl rolled her eyes at her brother's antics.

Botan grinned. She was glad she found such a rare group of friends to work with. The only person missing now was Hiei. Botan couldn't wait any longer, she'd go see him now. "Uh, guys... I'm going to go to my desk now... I probably have a lot of work to do, and I'd like to catch up!" She said quickly as she waved and went her way before anyone could say anything.

Shizuru sighed. "That girl is too busy for her own good."

--

Botan was sitting at her desk anxiously. She'd been there for the past ten minutes wondering whether or not she should just barge in Hiei's office and see if he was there. The poor girl had no clue why she was feeling like this. She bit her lip and shifted through papers on her desk, deciding it would be best to do some work and clear her head first. Hiei would come out eventually if he was in his office.

One minute passed... two minutes passed... and so on. Time was dragging on, and Botan couldn't concentrate on her work. Taking a deep breath, she got up from her cubicle and marched bravely over to Hiei's door. She placed her hands on the door and pushed... and pushed... and pushed, but the stupid door wouldn't budge. She'd forgotten how heavy it was. Sweat-dropping, Botan knocked on the door twice.

A moment later, Hiei opened the door and let her in. There he was, standing in front of her, in all his arrogant glory. "Hey," was all she could say at the moment.

He nodded. "I heard you were sick too."

It was Botan's turn to nod now.

"You're not sick anymore, I presume?"

"Bingo! I feel even better than before I was sick!" She cheered, that grin never once leaving her face. _At least he's taking some interest in my well-being_. It was comforting, more than it should have been. "But, more importantly, how are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"Are you sure, Hiei? Because Shizuru told me what happened to you, and I was really worried. You shouldn't overwork yourself like that. Take a break, relax, go on a vacation for Enma's sake! It wouldn't kill you, you know. Plus, you've got all of us to fall-back on, if you're worried about Jaganshi-Corp!"

Somewhere in between the middle of Botan's lecture-rant Hiei had gotten side-tracked. _She was really worried... for me?_ Never in his life had anyone said that, other than Yukina or Kurama. Hiei wasn't used to all this attention, and she was giving it to him left and right. And the worst part is: he was beginning to like it.

Attention from Yukina, Hiei could deal with. She knew his limits, and she was his sister after all. Attention from Mukuro disgusted him; how desperate could a woman get? Attention from the bakas out-right pissed him off; Hiei often found himself wanting to hurt them. Attention from Kurama was a nuisance, and almost often times it seemed as though he were an overprotective mother. But from Botan... it was like he actually welcomed it.

While he was home sick, all his thoughts strayed back to Botan. He wondered what she was doing at the moment... if she was making a fool out of herself, (she had a bad tendency of doing that, Hiei learned) or if she was home sick like him. Even the 'annoying,' puppy Hiei was housing for her was reminding him of Botan. They were both bundles of energy and radiated happiness all the time.

What Hiei couldn't understand was why. Why was she always on his mind, why was she constantly popping up in his thoughts, why couldn't she just leave him alone... the way it was supposed to be?

"Uh. Hiei? Hiei, are you listening to me?" Botan waved a hand in front of Hiei's unresponsive face. Snapping back into reality his eyes narrowed. "What are you doing?"

"You just spaced out on me Hiei. Are you sure you're feeling well?" Botan asked, slightly frowning.

"I'm fine," Hiei said. "Now get back to work, I'm sure you've got lots of it."

Botan nodded. "You're right! I completely forgot!" She hurried out of his office and back to her desk. Although she did have a lot of work to do, she was happy. Hiei was healthy, and she was back at one-hundred percent. Now things could get back to normal.

"Bets, place your bets people!" Yusuke voice could be heard from down the hall, along with Kuwabara's laughter.

...Or as normal as things could possibly be with those two around.

--

A few hours later, Botan was almost finished with her work. "I think I've earned myself a break!" She got up from her chair and yawned. The sleepiness was kicking in, and Botan accounted this to Hiei, but she wouldn't let it overpower her. She could sleep all she wanted when she got home. Right now, Botan was focused on getting through her first day back at work.

"I'll just have some lunch and then I'll get straight back to work." Botan walked over to Hiei's office and peeped her head in. "Hiei I'm going for lunch if you want anything I can get it for you..." She stepped in to great him, but he wasn't there.

"Hiei... Hiei?" Botan sighed. _Funny, I didn't even see him leave._ Looking around the office one more time her eyes caught a hold of the door that in the corner of the office. _Maybe he's in there?_ She walked up to it and turned the knob, only to find it was locked. Knocking on it a few times she called: "Hiei, are you in there?"

"Onna what the hell are you doing?" Hiei's piercing voice echoed in the room, shocking her.

Eyes wide and a bit stiff, Botan turned to the front of the office. Hiei was standing in the threshold of the large mahogany doors, almost glaring at her.

"I-I was just looking for you, I wanted to see if you there was anything from the cafeteria that you wanted me to bring up..." She looked down, wondering why she was feeling so embarrassed; like a child caught doing something wrong. Only, she had done nothing wrong.

"Don't bother. Just go."

"Are you sure? It's no trouble. And you really should eat something since you just recovered from being sick..." Her voice was quiet and lacked the enthusiasm it usually held.

"What I would like, is for you to leave my office. I've got work to do." His voice was cold and and dismissive. Feeling more hurt than angry, Botan complied and made her way down to the cafeteria.

"He didn't have to be so rude about it," Botan mumbled to herself. She got herself some lunch and sat down at the usual table. None of the others were around, because she came to eat lunch much later than usual.

With her head propped up against her hand, and her free hand absentmindedly picking at her food, Botan looked like the epitome of misery. Botan pouted, then sighed. _What's going on with you, Hiei Jaganshi?..._

"Are you alright, Botan?" Botan looked up, only to be greeted with the presence of Yukina. She had a worried expression on her face. "You look a little down."

"Yukina! It's been a while!"

"It has. So you're feeling better now?" Yukina sat down across from Botan and placed her lunch down on the table.

"Yes, much! I'm glad to be back!" A smile immediately replaced the forlorn look on Botan's face.

Yukina's face scrunched up a bit in thought. "Then, why did you look so sad just now?"

The happiness in her amethyst eyes were almost immediately vanished and the pout was making it's way back on her face. "It's just... your brother... I can't understand him. One minute he's fine... then the next he's snapping at me, for no reason at all!"

"I'm sorry-" Yukina started.

"-Don't be silly, Yukina. It's not your fault! I shouldn't be focusing on this anyway... maybe he's just having an off day."

"I really am sorry, Botan, but that's just the way he is sometimes. He's had... a very hard life."

"Yeah, but so did you, and you turned out fine! I mean obviously growing up in an orphanage didn't affect you as much as it did him! I mean, if only he'd open up to me. Then I could understand him a bit more... I just want to-" Botan's hands flew out to cover her mouth. "Stupid, stupid, Botan!" Why couldn't she just keep her mouth _shut_?

"I'm so sorry Yukina, I didn't mean to bring up such bad memories! It just slipped out... my mouth has a mind of it's own sometimes, and it's really hard to control!" Botan exclaimed wringing her hands nervously.

Yukina smiled. "It's okay... it's just that... I never lived in an orphanage. I grew up with my mother."

"Oh." Was all Botan could say in reply. Now she was confused. _Hm. If Yukina grew up with her mother... then maybe Hiei grew up with his father... or they got separated at birth... or Hiei ran away from home... or... ugh... this is hopeless! Maybe I could just ask Yukina about all this._

Botan looked at the girl sitting across from her and instantly erased all thoughts of asking Yukina about her past. It was out of the question. Deciding to forget about Hiei (for now) Botan smiled. "So, how are things going with you and Kuwabara?" Botan's eyebrows raised mischievously.

--

Hiei was sitting in his chair shuffling through papers. He hadn't meant to be so cold towards Botan, it just turned out that way. In truth, he was having a crappy day. Pressures from Mukuro and Yomi kept sweeping in, and Hiei did not want to deal with their proposals anymore. Jaganshi Corp was fine as it is, he didn't need any other company merging with his. He worked all his life for this, and he _wasn't_ giving it away.

But what was more pressing at the moment was the image of Botan's resigned face as she left his office. Why was he feeling guilty for treating her that way. He did it to everyone at one point or another... so why was she any different?

Deep down Hiei knew why. It was because she didn't deserve to be treated that way. All she did was think about others and put them before herself. She was one of the most kindhearted people he knew. Through his open doors Hiei could see Botan making her way back to her desk. Shura was sitting patiently waiting for her, which meant Yomi was still around. Hiei rolled his eyes as Botan pulled out a lollipop from her bag and handed it to him.

Hiei noted that Shura seemed much more innocent and child-like when Botan was around. He could make out bits and pieces of their conversation, and realized how much more excited Shura sounded now that Botan arrived. She had a way of bringing out the best in people.

Glancing once more, Hiei saw that Botan seemed unaffected by his cold attitude, and felt a bit better about his situation. He didn't need a mopey Botan, because a mopey Botan meant an inefficient Botan, of course. It had nothing to do with the fact that it pained him a little bit whenever she felt hurt.

Just like the time in Tokyo when she was crying after she met Satomi. Hiei had no clue as to why that man could cause her to cry so much. What happened in the past that would make the sight of an old friend possibly cause her so much pain? It was a bit unnerving how easily she could cover up her pain, but Hiei could see right through it. He would reveal the mystery that was Botan, but for now, he had a lot of work that had to be done.

--

Later on that day Botan finished up typing all her documents and faxing them all to the appropriate locations. Although she should be happy that she finished a day's work, she couldn't help but feel a bit angry. And it was all Hiei's fault.

He had no right to be so cruel to her when all she was doing was thinking about his well-being. At first she felt hurt, but then over some time she realized she shouldn't be the one feeling back. Hiei should. He was the one who snapped at her for no reason, after all.

And then there was the frustration of being back to square one with her whole investigation on Hiei. Nothing made sense when it came to that man.

Getting up from her desk she stretched. Sitting down at a desk for so long made her feel sluggish. Botan decided she'd go see the others and say goodbye, then leave. Maybe she wouldn't say goodbye to Hiei! _I'll just ignore him. __Ha, take that. You're not the only one who can be mean, Hiei! _

With renewed vigor, she turned around and made her way out of her cubicle, only to bump into the very person she was currently trying to avoid. If she hadn't been walking so hurried there wouldn't be a problem. But because she was, when she bumped into Hiei, Botan lost all balance. Rather than getting acquainted with the floor, Botan felt a pair of strong arms rap around her, steadying her.

"You can open your eyes now." Hiei smirked watching her standing there waiting to fall, eyes squeezed shut.

Slowly Botan opened her bright eyes, and her gaze locked onto Hiei's. His gaze was so intense... so guarded... so cautious. Botan continued to stare, wondering what emotions lie beneath those perfect ruby orbs, until she became aware of how close they were.

Hiei was holding her tightly against him, to ensure that they she wouldn't fall, and for some reason, she couldn't help but want to stay like that forever. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable by her thoughts she coughed nervously, getting out of Hiei's grip.

"T-thank you for-" She stammered feeling the heat rise in her cheeks.

"Tch. Just don't be so clumsy next time."

She nodded awkwardly, feeling the tension build up in the air.

"You finished all your assignments?" Hiei asked trying to make the situation less constrained.

Botan lost her will to completely ignore him after what just transpired. "Yes, I was going to leave... unless you needed something."

"No. You're free to go."

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, Hiei. Goodbye." Botan smiled and him and began to walk away until Hiei called her name a bit hesitantly.

"Botan..."

She turned around. "Yes?"

"Next time if you're looking for me just use the communication device." His voice was softer than usual.

Botan's eyes widened. She distinctly remembered the day she got hired that Hiei detested the communication devices, and didn't want anyone, especially her, using them to call him. "But I thought you said you never wanted me to use it to call you!"

"I'll make an exception just this once." _For you..._ Hiei added in his mind as an afterthought. It was the only way he could make himself feel better about what happened earlier. It was that stupid honor-code of his that was to blame.

"Thanks, Hiei." She walked away with a smile plastered on her face, happy that Hiei had changed a bit for her.

"Thanks, Hiei." Yusuke mocked. "Did you see that? They are SO in love with each other!"

Kuwabara nodded his head in agreement. "Heh. So the shrimp and Botan, huh? I personally think she can do much better."

"Shut up! He'll hear you guys!" Shizuru scolded, nudging her brother in the ribs.

Kurama, who was beside Shizuru sighed.

"What's your problem?" Shizuru asked, tucking some hair behind her ear.

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves. Spying on them like this." Kurama reproached.

"You're one to talk." Yusuke exclaimed, referring to Kurama's crouched position on the floor. "You're just as bad as the rest of us, except you're better at hiding it." Upon hearing this Kuwabara began to laugh.

"Bro, I told you to shut up! If Hiei hears you-"

"-What the hell are you all doing?" Hiei walked over to the empty cubicle they were all crouching in. "You know what? Never mind, I don't even want to know." With that Hiei began to walk away muttering about the freaks he had to deal with.

--

Yes I am alive.

So... basically Botan is back to square one with her little investigation, and Hiei wants to uncover some truths about Botan.

And I'm sorry I took forever to update... I kind of lost the will to update anything, but then I woke up this morning... and BAM... I just felt like writing. Sorry if this chapter might not seem as well as the others... I just have to get back into the swing of writing again. Thank you so much to all the faithful readers who haven't given up on this story, and will read this. Love ya!


	7. Confrontations

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 7: Confrontations

--

When Botan first began working here time flew by quickly. She had been open to so many colorful characters, unexpected situations, and random turn of events. She couldn't imagine working anywhere else at this point, and Jaganshi Corp was like a second home to her. Everyday was like a rollercoaster with its highs and lows and every range of unpredictability in between. However, this past week had been going by as slow as a snail on a hot summer day. Everyone seemed so defeated and lackluster, and although they tried to hide it from the rest, she could see it easily.

On such a languid week as this, Botan sat at her desk absentmindedly trying to piece together the clues, or what she believed to be clues at least, of Hiei's past. She had finished the first and most time-consuming assignment he had given her and the day was drawling on slowly. She had plenty of time to finish the rest of her work.

First off, the most basic clue: Hiei and Yukina are siblings. Yukina grew up with her mother, which meant Hiei could've possibly grown up with his father.

Hiei had some affiliation with orphanages, while Yukina did not. His outlook on the world is rather cynical and he is always so guarded.

Thirdly, Hiei was obviously hiding some dark secrets and Botan believed it could be connected to whatever is inside that smaller room within his office. He goes back there often times and whenever he's not in his office, that door is always locked. The other day he snapped at her she was trying to open that door inside his office. There _had_ to be something there!

Fourthly-

-_That's all I've got?_ _I've been working here for a month now and that's all I could come up with? It's time to take this seriously! I can figure it out, I know I can! I've just gotta put more effort into it._

Botan had basically given up on searching anything worthwhile off of the internet. The only things there were speculations, wild accusations, and ludicrous findings from unreliable sources. If she was going to find out anything, it would have to be the hard way. She'd have to coax it out of others. But that in and of itself was a hard task for Botan to accomplish; she was anything _but_ subtle.

A ball whizzed past her face snapping her out of her thoughts. Shura was here and it was Yusuke's turn to keep watch over him. She had been seeing a lot of the little boy recently. Now that she thought of it, Yomi's visits had been more and more frequent, in addition to Mukuro's.

Shizuru had told Botan before of Kurama and Yomi's unstable relationship. They seemed pleasant on the surface of things but there was an underlying hostility between the duo. Then there was Mukuro. For some reason that name held all the negative connotations in the world for Botan. Why was she so insistent with merging her company with Hiei's, especially if Hiei was against it? Also, why did the partnership have to be formed through marriage? Can't the woman take 'no' for an answer? Botan just didn't understand anything at all and it made her even more frustrated!

Sighing, she leaned back on her chair and closed her eyes. This was just too much for one girl to handle. All the secrecy, all this mystery was too much. Lately everything had seemed so tense, too. Kurama and Hiei were busier than usual, meaning Botan saw and heard less of the two. Shizuru was around, but she always seemed preoccupied. Yusuke and Kuwabara's antics had even lessened somewhat. If things didn't turn around soon then… well Botan didn't know what to think.

"Sleeping on the job?"

Hiei's sharp voice cut through her internal ramblings and her eyes shot open. The first thing she saw was her boss standing at the entrance of her cubicle. Even his taunts seemed less threatening nowadays. He just looked plain worn out. "N-no, that's not it. I just… well you know I was just resting my eyes!" She laughed nervously. "Staring at a screen all day long can't be good for your eyesight, you know!"

Hiei just shrugged, not having the spirit to care. "Whatever."

She looked up at Hiei from her seated position questioningly. "Is there anything you need? Coffee or tea, maybe? You look pretty worn out."

"Kurama-"

"-Oh, Kurama is still in his office with Yomi. Speaking of Yomi, he's been coming by an awful lot lately. Do you know why?"

Hiei avoided her gaze. "That's none of your concern."

She rolled her playful amethyst eyes all too knowingly. Hiei was Hiei, after all. "Hey." His eyes snapped back to hers at the sound of her tender voice. "Is everything okay? You all look really tense lately. I know I'm still new and all, but you can tell me you know."

At his silence Botan continued. "I'd like to help, if I can. I'll take on any extra workload you give me. I can handle it, I promise. I'm good enough to be your assistant after all!"

His gaze softened, it was barely noticeable, but Botan could see something was troubling him. "There have just been extra pressures coming in lately. I-"

"How _dare_ you!"

The duo turned their heads to Kurama's office and quickly ran to see what all the commotion was about. The scene they came upon was truly unexpected. Kurama held Yomi by the scruff of his shirt while Yomi stood there composed as ever.

"Kurama, please stop!" Botan pleaded. What exactly was going on here?

Soon enough Shizuru rushed in with Kuwabara. It was a good thing Yusuke and Shura were probably making mischief somewhere else, because Botan was sure the young boy wouldn't approve of the way Kurama was handing his father at the moment.

Hiei ran up to angered redhead and unlatched him from Yomi. "Get a hold of yourself Kurama," Hiei advised in a hushed voice.

Kurama's normally patient eyes were narrowed in frustration. His intense gaze never left Yomi's figure throughout the entire encounter. "Get out."

His voice was dipped in malice and Botan almost shivered when she heard it. She had never seen Kurama act impatient or ill-mannered and she could tell he was using every ounce of will-power to control himself.

Upon seeing the other man's unmoving figure, Kurama continued, his voice a bit louder than before. "I said _leave_. I believe your business here is finished."

"You're right, I've said all I have to say," Yomi answered and Botan could've sworn she saw his lips curve upward.

Hiei turned his attention to Botan, still not releasing his hold on Kurama. "Botan, escort Yomi to his son."

The said girl nodded obediently. "This way, sir…" She took hold of his arm and guided him out of the office. The rest followed suit.

Upon everyone's exit, Hiei shut the door. "What's the meaning of this Kurama?"

--

Botan seated Yomi at her desk and went off to find Shura. After some running around she finally found him with Yusuke in the copy room, making a mess of things. "Yusuke!"

Yusuke snapped his head in Botan's direction and put on that cheeky grin. "Hey, Botan! How's it goin'?" He waved as if he were doing nothing wrong. Shura turned to greet Botan with a smile, and then returned his attention to his "art-work."

Botan put her hands on her hips and sighed. "Normally I would scold you for this, but we've got bigger problems to worry about," She said gravely.

The smile was erased from his face and his chocolate-brown eyes lost the mirth they once held. "What's wrong?"

The blue-haired assistant only had to look at Shura and mention Kurama's name for Yusuke to understand. Yusuke moved closer to Botan in order to avoid Shura from listening in, speaking only when he was sure the younger boy couldn't hear him over the racket of the copy-machine and printers going off simultaneously. "Please tell me they didn't throw punches or anything, because I don't feel like cleaning up blood-stains." Although he said it in jest, Yusuke's voice was grave.

"No, but I've got to get Shura back to his father so they can leave. Come on, let's hurry. The others can fill you in." Her tone was urgent and Yusuke knew this was no time for playing around. Something was bound to happen between Kurama and Yomi one day, he just didn't expect it to be so soon. Yusuke tilted his head in Shura's direction raising his voice over all the commotion. "C'mon kid, it's time to go." The younger boy shook his head and made no attempt to move.

Botan smiled and leaned down so she could meet his eyes. Tauntingly she announced, "I've got candy at my desk!"

Instantly he perked up and took hold of Botan's arm as she lead him back to her cubicle. Yusuke just rolled his eyes as he followed the two, hands in his pockets.

--

When the trio had arrived at Botan's workspace, Botan returned Shura to Yomi and they made their way down to the lobby. Both Kuwabara siblings left with Yomi in order to remedy the situation and make sure there would be no legal repercussions directed towards Kurama.

"Now that the brat and his prick of a father are gone…" Yusuke took hold of Botan's shoulders and guided her to her seat. He then turned the small lamp on and faced the light towards Botan, in attempts of creating a mock-interrogation room. "I'd like to get some answers. Just what happened between Kurama and Yomi?"

Botan blocked her eyes from the sudden light. "Yusuke, please, try to be serious for at least one second!" She turned the light off and stood up.

"I'm being serious here, I gotta know! This has been building up since forever!"

Botan bit her lip. "Ok, I'll tell you everything you want to know."

"Thank you, you're a god!"

"But first-"

"-There's a condition?" Yusuke whined.

"…I just want to know the history between Yomi and Kurama. And why is it that whenever he comes around Kurama becomes so tense?"

"Oh well, it's not all that clear to me, either. All I know is, those two go way back. They take the words 'friendly competition,' to a whole other level. They never see eye-to-eye, not that Yomi can see at all, well you understand where I'm getting at."

"But why don't they get along?" Botan asked, getting a little impatient.

"Don't tell anyone I told you any of this…" Yusuke motioned for Botan to come closer, and she did. "…but I heard Yomi's a real crooked guy. While Hiei and Kurama have become successful through hard-work and dedication and all that jazz, Yomi participated in illegal activities and used underhanded tactics to get where he is now."

Botan nodded slowly as Yusuke continued. "I'm not exactly sure why he keeps coming by, but he's probably trying to persuade Hiei and Kurama into doing some shady shit they aren't willing to do. Jaganshi Corp is a very famous company, I'll have you know, and he probably wants to get in while the stocks are hot."

Yusuke's tone changed from serious to anxious. "So, c'mon spill the beans. What happened?"

"Well…" Botan recounted the story of how she and Hiei heard Kurama's shout from his office and, upon entering, found him holding Yomi by his clothes threateningly.

Yusuke huffed. "You mean I gave you all that information and this is all I get in return? Boy did you cheat me Botan." She smiled at Yusuke's childishness.

"But you know…" Yusuke put his hand to his chin, thoughtfully. "I wonder what it is that Yomi said. Kurama's not the type to lose his composure so easily."

"Exactly! That's what I want to know!" Botan exclaimed fretfully, pouting a bit.

"Let's do a little snooping shall we?" Yusuke cocked his head to Kurama's office. His eyes were filled with mischief and that familiar up-to-no-good-smirk was on his face.

Botan's eyes widened and she shook her head furiously. "…No! We couldn't possibly!"

"Oh come on, Botan!" He grabbed her hand and led her Kurama's office door. "Stop being such a goody two shoes!"

Yusuke pressed his ear to the door and listened intently. A few moments later, Botan figured it couldn't hurt and followed suit. As they strained to listen in on their unsuspecting superiors, Botan couldn't help but feel uneasy. What would they be talking about? Would it help in her quest to unravel Hiei's past?

Moments passed and they heard nothing but silence. "I can't hear a thing!" Yusuke whispered harshly. Botan nodded in agreement, pouting a little.

Just then the door opened and Yusuke and Botan were face to face with Hiei.

"Uhh… we were just about to. We were… um, Yusuke and I… What I meant to say was-" Botan stammered nervously awaiting the verbal abuse from her boss.

"Botan and I were just leaving!" Yusuke finished as he lead the rambling girl back to her desk. Hiei carried on and made his way to his office, making sure to close the door behind him.

Yusuke let out a sigh of relief. "We got off the hook easily. At least he didn't blow up on us."

Botan nodded in agreement. "I guess we should try and get some work done. A little productivity every now and then wouldn't kill you, you know."

"Oh, but it would." Yusuke joked as he walked back to his own desk.

--

The rest of the day was spent with little interaction between the group, unless it pertained to work. Everyone seemed on edge and tense. The atmosphere was so heavy and it worried Botan. To makes things worse, Kurama hadn't come out of his office all day, and she was beginning to get antsy. Was he alright? Could she help him in any way possible? Did he need comforting?

Just as she summoned the courage to get out of her chair and knock on his door, he exited his office. Botan stood up immediately and their gazes met. He looked normal, just a bit stressed.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that. I'd prefer if you hadn't have seen it at all." Kurama confessed solemnly, his tone apologetic.

Botan shook her head. "Don't worry about it. In fact I've already forgotten about it!" Her smile was reassuring and he felt a fraction of his stress slip away. "If there's anything I can do for you, just ask! That is what I'm here for, right?" She winked, trying to lighten up the mood. Everyone was so down lately.

"Thank you, Botan. I'll keep that in mind." Kurama returned her smile earnestly.

At that moment, Kuwabara came rushing down the hall with Shizuru and Yusuke in tow. "Hey guys!"

"What's up Kuwabara?" Botan questioned, wondering what could have the orange haired man so excited.

"Guess what tonight is!" He taunted as he waved a piece of paper around sloppily.

Botan gave up trying to read what the flyer said after a few seconds. "You got me…"

"It's-"

"-nothing special. Just a party Jaganshi Corp holds annually, to foster good relations between employees and boost company morale, that type of thing." Shizuru finished with a smirk.

"Why do you always have to do that?" Kuwabara whined. He didn't mean to sound so whiny, it was meant as more of a question, but well, Shizuru could be really annoying sometimes! At least to him that's how it seemed.

Suddenly, Hiei's office doors opened and he stepped out into all the commotion. "I should've known it was the oaf making that damn racket," He said to himself.

"Who're you callin' an oaf, shorty?" Kuwabara countered, clenching his fists, small charcoal eyes narrowing threateningly.

"Guys aren't we past the name-calling? I swear you two behave like children sometimes."

"Shut up, Kurama!" They yelled simultaneously as the redhead rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

Botan shook her head at the duos immaturity. Sometimes it felt like Kurama and Shizuru were the only adults here, along with herself of course. She wasn't nearly immature as the other three, she was just… animated! Yeah, that was the word! She inwardly smirked at her brilliant deduction.

"Are you all going to the party?" Botan questioned, ignoring the glares Hiei and Kuwabara were sending each other.

Shizuru shrugged. "Probably not."

"Even if we wanted to, we couldn't. We've been banned from any and all of Jaganshi Corp events." Yusuke scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

Botan raised a brow at his statement.

"It's not like we did anything horrible. We just thought we'd liven up the place and maybe gave some people's drinks an extra kick." His eyes rested on Kurama for a moment then shifted back to the ground.

"Well I think we should all go!" Everyone turned their heads to the blue-haired assistant upon hearing her request. "It'll do us some good to relax. Everyone's been so tense lately. What we all need is a nice break from this office and all the paperwork that comes with it!"

"Hiei and I have to go anyway, seeing as this is his company. We'll be there."

"Yay!" She made a victory sign and smiled.

"I guess it can't be that bad…" Shizuru decided as Botan hugged her while uttering "thank you," over and over. The girl had been right, everyone especially Kurama had been acting strangely lately. This event could possibly lighten everybody's mood and get them back to the way they were. Shizuru secretly hoped it could lighten Kurama's heart the most. He didn't deserve all the stress Yomi and brought him. She snuck a glance in his direction only to find he had been watching her as well. A small blush appeared on her face but she quickly overcame the initial surprise and regained her composure.

"Hey, what about us?" Yusuke shouted brazenly, crossing his arms.

"Yeah have you forgotten? We're banned!" Kuwabara added.

"Well…" Botan began slyly. "If a certain someone lifts the ban, then you're free to go!" She turned her gaze to Hiei and pouted while clasping her hands.

Hiei matched her pleading gaze with an uninterested one. In all honesty he could care less if the two bakas came or not. He wasn't even the one who prohibited them in the first place. "Please allow them to come! If anything bad happens, I'll take full responsibility! I'll make sure that they are on their best behavior tonight, I promise!"

"Onna, I'm not the one you should be begging to. Kurama's the one that banned the fools." He pointed over to his partner.

"Oh…" She faltered then turned to Kurama, starting up her speech again. "Please allow them to come! If anything bad-"

Kurama, who immediately averted his eyes from Shizuru, raised a hand, silencing her. "It's okay Botan. You can save the speech for another time, I'll allow them to attend tonight's event."

"Thank you, Kurama! I knew you were the most kindhearted and reasonable between you and Hiei!" Kurama's emerald eyes twinkled a little as he smiled at her confession. He looked over at Hiei tauntingly. "You heard that, Hiei? Your own assistant favors me over you."

"Hn." Was all Hiei said in reply.

"Well, it's just about time for me to leave," Yusuke said looking at his watch. "We all know I've never worked a minute of overtime in my life, and I'm not about to start now!" He saluted as he walked off, with Kuwabara trailing behind shouting his goodbyes from across the hall.

"Oh and make sure Yukina comes too!" They heard him shout before he disappeared from their line of vision.

Hiei snorted, "Over my dead body." Botan couldn't but laugh at his overprotective nature towards his sister. It was endearing, that he could care about his family's well-being so much.

"I guess I'll go too, wouldn't want those two getting into trouble. You know how they are." Botan nodded as Shizuru went to her desk and gathered her things.

"I'll accompany you," Kurama offered as he walked over to Shizuru's cubicle and they made there way down the hall together.

"I guess it's just us now, huh?" Botan stated looking over to where Hiei was. "…Hiei? Where'd you go?" _That jerk. He could've at least told me he was going somewhere!_ She gathered her things together and turned around to meet Hiei's ruby orbs piercing through her. He was at the entrance of her cubicle, with his things in his hand.

"Are you going to stand there gaping like a fish all day long or are you going to leave? I'm not paying for you to stand around like a clueless idiot." Hiei said curtly, waiting for her.

She blinked a few times then walked up to him. "You mean… you wanna walk out, together?"

"Hn." Hiei had already begun to walk away, so she picked up her pace to keep up with him.

They entered the elevator in silence and both waited as they descended one floor at a time. Botan wracked her brain for topics to talk about, but for once in her life, she thought it would be best to stay quiet. For some reason it made her happy, just to be by his side. She didn't have to say a word and it felt right. His presence was comforting almost.

She blushed at her thoughts and tried to control herself. As usual she was getting hyped up over nothing. They were just walking out of the building together. It's not like they were on a date or anything!

When they made their way to the lobby and out of the swiveling doors, Hiei's car was already waiting for him. They both walked up to the curb and Hiei gave one last glance to Botan.

"Don't worry about me; I'll just get a taxi as usual." She smiled at him assuredly.

"I wasn't worried," Hiei replied as he stepped into his car and shut the door. Botan glared at Hiei but soon enough the glare was gone from her face. She could never hold a grudge for long anyway.

The car remained there for a few minutes then unexpectedly drove off. As soon as Hiei's car was gone, another one had replaced it. An older man stepped out of the car and opened the door, motioning for Botan to get inside.

Botan refused, nodding her head politely. "I-I couldn't possibly drive in a luxury car. I've only got enough money for a taxi," she declined sheepishly.

"Nonsense, Mr. Jaganshi has called me to escort you to your residence."

"He _WHAT_?!" Botan shouted, utterly amazed that Hiei would do something so kind for her. Hiei was just full of surprises. First leaving work together and now this? She never expected that he would call for someone to pick her up. It was unbelievable how much his advances could affect her heart and its already growing feelings towards the cold-hearted man.

The chauffer smiled at Botan, fully understanding her disbelief. "It seems odd of him to do so, but it is the truth. Please step inside, miss." Botan smiled and did as she was told, seeing as she didn't want to turn down the only courtesy Hiei would probably ever show her.

--

Shizuru had called Botan to remind her it was a black-tie affair in addition to reminding her to bring her work ID for security reasons. Botan was thankful that the brunette had called to remind her because she certainly would've walked out the door without giving a second thought to her identification card.

"How do I look?" Botan gazed at her own reflection in the mirror.

"You look hot!" Hinageshi answered giggling.

Botan wore a black dress strapless dress which covered about three-quarters of her thighs, coupled with simple yet elegant jewelry. "Thanks, Hina. Well it's just about time to be leaving."

"Where is it being held at anyway?"

Botan froze mid-step and laughed nervously to herself.

"You don't even know, do you?"

"Silly me, I forgot!" Botan tapped her head softly.

"That is so like you, Botan!" Hinageshi whispered good-naturedly as Botan rummaged through her purse for her communication device. She quickly called Shizuru but there was no answer. The same held true for Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama. She had no choice left but to call Hiei. Well he did give me permission to call him… Her thoughts drifted back to that day when he said he'd make an exception for her. The memory, even though it was a good few weeks ago, still made Botan's heart melt. She didn't know why, just the fact that he made an _exception_ for _her_ was heart-warming. She hoped he wouldn't regret allowing her to call him.

Apprehensively she dialed in his number and hoped he would pick up. After the fifth ring, she gave up all hope, but unexpectedly (as most things were with Hiei), he picked up. "What is it, onna?"

She smiled. "Hello there, Hiei. Could you possibly tell me where the party will take place? I kind of forgot to get the information from the others," Botan said pathetically, ashamed at herself for sounding so scatter-brained in front of Hiei.

"Wait a minute." Hiei should've known Botan would end up doing something like that. It was just like her. He almost smirked at her idiocy as he imagined her running frantically around her apartment looking for directions.

"Ok, thanks- uh… He hung up on me!" Botan exclaimed to Hinageshi.

"Don't worry maybe it was just a mistake?"

"Mistake my foot! Hiei lives off of tormenting nice, unsuspecting people like me!" She quickly dialed his number again but he didn't pick up. Pouting, Botan took a seat next to the shorter girl. "He can be a real jerk sometimes…"

A few minutes later the doorbell rang. Hinageshi went to answer it and called Botan out of her room to greet their 'guest.' To Botan's surprise, it was none other than Hiei. "Hiei, you came!" She could hardly contain the elation in her voice.

He smirked at her sudden brightness. "Don't confuse it, onna. Your apartment was on the way and I didn't feel like having you call me back for directions when you got lost."

"Right!" Botan decided she'd rather not argue with him tonight and just go along with whatever he said, for the most part. Picking up her purse she walked over to Hiei. "I'll be back later, Hinageshi!"

"Later Bo. You two behave now!" Hina mocked as Botan blushed and Hiei glared back at the younger girl. She sniggered as she closed the door after the couple, wondering how the event would go for Botan.

Hiei opened the door and allowed Botan to go in first, before sliding in the backseat himself. "I know you didn't do this for my benefit, but thanks anyways. And thank you for earlier, your car was much more comfortable than a taxi!"

Hiei just nodded wrapped up in his own thoughts. He had done two good deeds for her in the span of one evening. That's more than he probably did for anyone in his entire life! It troubled him, the way she was worming her way into his heart.

To take things a step further and make matters worse, he liked doing nice things for her. It made him feel… good inside, as ridiculous as that sounds. It almost seemed as if he were falling for her. But that couldn't be happening, especially not _now_. Not that there ever was an appropriate time for romance in his life, but there were too many troubling things on his plate at the moment. He couldn't handle falling, truly _falling_, for someone else. Not now and not ever.

And that is why Hiei came to the logical conclusion that he couldn't possibly be harboring feelings for Botan. Lust, maybe. Admiration for her cheerful outlook and determination despite what obstacles may befall her, perhaps. Hell, Hiei was even willing to go as far as to say that Botan reminded him of Yukina, making him want to watch over her and protect her. He simply had nothing more than a brotherly concern for her well-being. But it couldn't be anything more than that. It _couldn't_ be love.

…Right?

--

Phew I stopped there. After a loooooooong hiatus, this story is up and running again! I had to go back and reread everything and remember what was going up until this point. Next chapter will be the party. Who knows what'll happen there, I don't even quite know yet! Haha. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter. I'm a little rusty; just give me some time to get back into the swing of things. Please review and tell me what you thought. If you've got any suggestions, let me know! Thanks again~


	8. Party

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 8: Party

--

Hiei had been awfully quiet during their ride to the Jaganshi Corp event and the silence was becoming unnerving. Not that Botan hated silence or anything, in fact on some occasions she even welcomed it! But this type of silence was different, it was thick in the air, and she was sure she could reach out and touch it as if it were tangible.

While it was true that Hiei doesn't speak all that much to begin with, he hadn't even spared a moment to discourage her hopes, insult her pride, or poke fun at her intelligence. Something was definitely off. Botan looked over to him and took note of his thoughtful expression. She wondered what he was thinking half the time, but knew she would never get a straightforward answer from him. All his thoughts were locked away in his mind and he'd be damned before he ever gave anyone a key or let them sneak a little peep.

_I wish I had some sort of supernatural ability that allowed me to invade his mind! But if I don't have permission would that be considered as breaking and entering? _She looked over at Hiei and narrowed her eyes a bit. She was sure if Hiei had that power he would abuse it, not caring about people's privacy or personal thoughts. But now she was being ridiculous, mind-reading and such didn't exist!

Shaking her head she sighed. It was so hard to read Hiei and if she wasn't gifted with mind-reading powers then the least he could do was voice his thoughts once in a while. Maybe he was just thinking of all the work he had to do in the morning, or Yukina, or the incident between Yomi and Kurama, perhaps? Little did the assistant know that she was the only one clouding up his thoughts at this very moment.

Botan opened her mouth to speak but then thought against it. He'd probably snap at her or brush her off, and her efforts would be in vain. Realizing the dismal nature of her situation she sighed again.

"Would you stop that?"

Botan perked up, glad that Hiei had actually initiated the conversation for once.

"…Stop what, Hiei?"

"That wretched noise you keep making. It's pathetic."

"Well someone's decided to be a grumpy-pants, today!" She huffed and crossed her arms in a lame attempt to seem perturbed. In fact she was happy that Hiei had stopped his brooding and said something, even if it was insulting.

_Grumpy-pants?_ Now Hiei was sure his feelings for Botan weren't of the romantic kind. He could never in a million years fall for such a bizarre woman, unless he had gone mad too. And since he was damned near sure his sanity was still intact; his speculations of a possible romantic inclining towards Botan had dissipated.

--

Elsewhere the rest of the gang had already reached their destination. They were decked out in their formal wear along with the rest of the Jaganshi Corp employees. They found an empty table and claimed it as their own, standing next to it. Hiei and Botan had yet to make their entrances though.

"I take it you two will be on your best behavior tonight?" Kurama questioned, reassuring that his earlier warnings hadn't fallen upon deaf ears.

Kuwabara nodded with a pained look on his face as he recalled the memories of Kurama lecturing them.

"Yes," Yusuke began straightening out his posture and mimicking Kurama, waving a finger in the air condescendingly. "It would be in our best interests to behave like gentlemen tonight because Kurama's got the key to Shizuru's hotel-room- wait." He scratched his head in mock wonder. "Or was it the key to our freedom?"

"Urameshi!" Kuwabara protested trying to get the image of Kurama and his sister out of his mind.

Shizuru rolled her eyes and began digging in her purse for her trusty pack of cigarettes. They would be just the remedy she needed; after all a girl's got to cope with their infantile behavior somehow. After a little more searching she realized it wasn't there. Snapping her head up, she locked her brown eyes onto Kurama's with a deadly glare. He was holding her most prized possession in his hands, his emerald eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Damn it Kurama. Were you a pick-pocket in your former life or something?" Shizuru exclaimed with the faintest hint of misery in her voice, knowing she couldn't retrieve her cigarettes from the red head's swift hands.

"Perhaps." Kurama shrugged it off; sometimes it was all too easy for him to get his hands on things that didn't belong to him. He considered an attribute of his and he almost prided himself in his ability to procure things. He then pulled his communication device from his pocket tentatively. "Hiei did say he would be arriving shortly. I wonder what has caused his delay."

"He probably just stopped on the way to pick up his favorite worker, Botan," Kuwabara stated rather nonchalantly. There was no hint of mockery or ridicule in his statement, he simply said it as if he believed it were true.

"And what…" Yusuke loosened his tie, "makes you think our favorite ill-mannered boss would do something as chivalrous as that?"

Suddenly Kuwabara became serious. "You can laugh at me all you want, but I've got this feeling about those two. They're kinda like opposite ends of a magnet, always pulling at each other. They might not realize it now, but sooner or later they'll attract."

Yusuke snorted. "So now what, you've become a psychic or something? Hey you hear that everybody? Call 1-800-KUWA-LOVE because the Kuwabara love-line is now open, and if you're not satisfied with his readings you can just shove it, 'cause we're keeping your money!" He hollered obnoxiously.

"I knew you wouldn't get it." Kuwabara said flatly, not finding the humor in Yusuke's ramblings. "But you'll end up eating your words one day, I can promise you that." He crossed his arms and stuck his nose up in the air.

Yusuke rolled his eyes at Kuwabara's seriousness. "Okay so I can kind of see where you'd get the notion that they like each other, but come on. This is Botan and Hiei we're talking about. The attraction will probably fade once their initial curiosity wears off."

"Curiosity?" Kurama questioned.

"Yeah," Yusuke nodded with glint in his eye that almost reminded Kurama of a detective unraveling the truths of the latest mystery. "They're both so different from each other that at first they'll naturally be interested, but once the enigma wears off they'll move on. Think of it like a kid who sees that new shiny toy and wants it badly but after a few hours of playing with it, he tosses it aside with all his other junk. That's what they are to each other, shiny new toys."

"So you're basically saying they just want to play with each other?" Kuwabara asked before realizing the obscurity of his statement. Kurama and Shizuru ignored it, hoping Yusuke wouldn't make a big deal out Kuwabara's word choice, because they were somewhat eager to hear what Yusuke had to say.

"Well we all know his mind is in the gutter, but what I'm trying to say is I just can't see Hiei pinned down to any girl, much less our erratic, lovable assistant. And the broody coarse type doesn't seem like a very compatible match for Botan. Hiei may like teasing Botan but I think that's the farthest he'll ever go with her. He won't go out of his way to do anything nice or heartwarming for her and she'll realize he's not her type."

Yusuke paused to take in a deep breath and then dramatically slapped his hand down on the table with renewed vigor. "So if he walks through that door with her tonight then that means someone needs to rescue us all because Kuwabara was right and the world will end shortly after."

"I see." Kurama answered, taking note of both Yusuke and Kuwabara's perceptions. Why couldn't they be this observant with their work, though? Kurama was snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Shizuru's voice.

"Score one for my baby brother. Better duck under the table and shield yourself from the impending doom Yusuke, because the world is coming to its end."

They all turned their heads to the entrance to see the hot topic of their entire conversation walk through the door, _together_.

Yusuke's mouth gaped open and Kuwabara couldn't contain his excitement as he taunted his black-haired coworker. "In your face, Urameshi! And the Kuwabara's come out on top again!" He high-fived his sister and then continued laughing and spouting nonsense.

"So what brings you two here, together?" Shizuru asked slyly as Botan avoided her gaze blushing slightly.

"Please, for the love of humanity, tell me you didn't pick her up at her place and drive her here." Yusuke sounded almost desperate as he pleaded with Hiei. Hiei just ignored Yusuke, shoving his hands in his pockets. His silence was all Yusuke needed to hear to understand.

Botan's brows furrowed in confusion and she put her hands on her hips, taking offense from Yusuke's words. "I don't see how giving me a ride here is such a bad thing, Yusuke. I may not be the best company but I'm not all that bad!"

"Oh no! It's not like that," Kuwabara put a reassuring hand on her shoulder jovially. "Urameshi just can't come to grips with reality, is all. Don't pay attention to him, Botan. You're my favorite person here, aside from my sis, of course."

"Why thank you Kuwabara. I always knew I liked you best!" She glared pointedly at Yusuke.

Yusuke just sat down at the table, sulking. "Damn it and I worked so hard building up my performance with the analogy and dramatic pauses and everything." He quickly shot Kuwabara a dirty look muttering something about the orange-head and his uncanny awareness.

"Now that you buffoons got that out of your system, I'm sure Kurama has warned you of the consequences you will face if you so much as breathe out of line tonight." Hiei cautioned sternly.

"Yeah, yeah, we heard it all already…" Yusuke waved him off too sullen to care. He leaned his head on his propped up arm and pointedly looked in every direction but the group's.

Botan made her way over to where Yusuke was seated and bent down so that she was eye-level with him. "Cheer up Yusuke, I know hearing me say Kuwabara's my favorite is a huge shock for you but if you apologize I'll take it back! Forgive me if my harsh words have pierced your sensitive soul." She taunted mischievously.

He turned around ready to chew her out and explain that he didn't care if he was first or last on her list of favorable people but the view he was greeted with melted away all his irritation. Botan's dress wasn't particularly low-cut compared to other dresses Yusuke had seen before but the way she was bending over gave him a very pleasing view of her assets.

"Botan all you'll have to do is stay like that and I'll forgive you for anything you've done in the past, present, and future," Yusuke admitted as he stared at her chest shamelessly.

Upon realizing exactly where his eyes were glued to Botan let out a small shriek and swiftly slapped him across his face. "You disgusting pervert!"

Yusuke nursed his sore cheek and apologized half-heartedly. "But what do you expect when you shove them in my face like that? It would be rude of me to look away when you so willingly gave me a good peep show."

"Please try to control yourself, Yusuke." Kurama admonished feeling the eyes of his workers boring into his back.

"Unforgivable!" Kuwabara shook his head.

"Boys will be boys…" Shizuru muttered rolling her eyes at Yusuke ignoring all the stares coming their way.

Hiei clenched his fists. How dare he look at her like that? He looked over to his fuming assistant and took note of the way her dress hugged every curve perfectly, and the manner in which the fabric was cut teasingly in all the right places. Suddenly he found himself almost taking Yusuke's side; she did look _good_ in that dress and it would hard for any male to look away. Catching himself, Hiei quickly averted his eyes, deciding he'd rather not get slapped by Botan for eyeing her.

Too angry to notice that Hiei's eyes were on her like a hawk moments before, Botan took a seat away from Yusuke and the rest followed suit filling in the empty chairs around the table. Drinks and hors d'oeuvres were placed at each table and the light dimmed slightly giving everyone a relaxed feeling.

"So how do these parties usually turn out?" Botan questioned, taking a sip of her champagne.

Usually their parties transformed into a much less elegant event, but that was only because Yusuke and Kuwabara had a hand in it. Due to the restrictions Kurama and Hiei had put on them and the consequences they would face if they disobeyed, the duo had no choice but to comply. Cleaning toilets and scrubbing the bathroom floors was not a part of their job description, nor would they like to add it to their list of responsibilities.

"Have you never been to an event with that brat, Koenma?" Hiei retorted.

"Of course, but his parties are usually much wilder than this. I love them!" She beamed and took notice of all the weird stares her tablemates were giving her. "Uh… no, I didn't mean it quite like that! Livelier is the word I was looking for, yes that was it…" She scratched the back of her head nervously.

"Do tell, Botan." Kurama pried interested in the other company's escapades.

"Yes, I'm sure we'd love to hear about the drunken ramblings of Koenma. I wouldn't be surprised if he blurted out that he still uses a pacifier or something…" Yusuke coaxed.

"He does not!" Botan objected. She didn't appreciate when people talked badly about her ex-boss and best-friend like that, especially when he and his family had done so much for her. She could never repay them even if she lived a hundred lifetimes and would not sit around idly while he was being made fun of. "I'll have you know Koenma is the most cool, calm, and collected man in the business world…" her eyes drifted to Kurama, "aside from you of course. And if anyone insults him they'll have to deal with me."

"I don't know how you expect anyone to believe that load of bull, considering it came from your mouth." Hiei countered. He didn't understand why Botan got so ruffled when it came to Koenma. Did she have feelings for him, by chance?

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that, Hiei," Botan said while pouting. They all could be really insulting when they wanted to, couldn't they?

"Weren't you going to tell us about Koenma's wild raves?" Shizuru asked.

"Oh that's right. Well usually he just throws parties in fancy, upscale places. It's a lot like this one at first, actually, but by the end of the night most people are a wee-bit tipsy and just enjoying life! Everyone throws all their cares away and just become so cheerful and free! He figures the parties are good for making you forget all your troubles for one night, work-related or not."

"Yeah but I bet all those troubles come rushing back in along with the killer hangover you guys probably experienced the next morning," Shizuru said.

"Oh, I don't drink as fervently as the others… but I do imagine they'd have trouble getting up for work." She laughed thinking back on the days after the party and how sluggish most workers were.

Hiei was beginning to get sick of Botan's stroll down memory lane, worst of all he couldn't stand how happy she looked whenever she thought of Koenma. His blood boiled and he wanted nothing more than for her to stop talking about her ex-boss. If he didn't know any better he'd say he was almost … jealous. But that was impossible, because for Hiei to be jealous of Botan talking about another man, he would have to have feelings for her, and he'd already established that he did not.

This new feeling, which Hiei refused to acknowledge as jealousy, was not born from love, but from pride. Hiei was her new boss now and she would do well to remember that. She had moved on to bigger and better things when she left Koenma's side for the chance to work at Jaganshi corp. Koenma knew it and now it was time for Botan to realize that for herself.

Hiei stood up from his seat and strode toward another table, for the sake of mingling and letting his presence be known. As he walked towards the other table he muttered three words so low only Yusuke could hear. Yusuke would've sworn he was imagining things until he saw Hiei's smirk and his chocolate brown eyes twinkled with mischief as his own mouth quirked into its familiar devilish grin. _'Work your magic,' eh? If you want a party Mr. Boss Man, well that's just what I'll give you._

"Kuwabara bathroom break, now!"

Before Kuwabara could protest, Yusuke had already stalked off to the bathroom. "He probably needs a bathroom-buddy since last time he got hit on by one of the staff of this place." Kuwabara explained as he stood up.

"Yes but that worker was drunk because you two spiked all the drinks in the vicinity," Kurama clarified as Botan's eyes went wide.

Kuwabara scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, that's karma for you! I better go before Urameshi gets molested!" And with that he ran off leaving the rest of them to shake their heads.

--

"Kuwabara my most trusted buddy, it seems we've been given the OK to do whatever the hell we want tonight!" Yusuke threw his arm around Kuwabara's neck, pulling the taller boy down so he was at eye level with Yusuke. "That means we gotta go all out!"

"Hold up, Urameshi," Kuwabara said unhooking Yusuke's arm from around his neck. "I'm not getting dragged into one of your schemes only to get blamed for it again!"

Yusuke shook his head. "You're missing the point entirely. Hiei gave me permission."

"You really think I'll fall for that one again-" Kuwabara stopped short at Yusuke's expression. "Wait you're serious?"

A smirk appeared on Yusuke's face as he nodded slowly.

"I don't know what inspired shorty to let us do this, but as long as we can't get penalized, let the scheming begin!" Kuwabara shouted as they began their planning.

--

Kurama had taken Botan around the room to get acquainted with employees she may not have met yet. After greeting numerous workers, she began to make small talk with familiar faces that she came into contact with on a regular basis. No matter who she talked to the trend was similar; all of Hiei's employees were loyal to both him and Kurama. It was weird, considering Hiei was by far the most distant and hard-hearted person she had ever met. Where their loyalty came from was a mystery to her, but every single one of them felt like they belonged and that was something Botan had never seen in a company before, not even with Koenma. It was heartwarming, to say the least.

She had also learned both Hiei and Kurama had somewhat of a fan-club within the company in the form of most of their female employees. It disheartened Botan to know that all these women were here for Hiei, and he was aware of it, Botan was sure. Hiei wasn't daft and these girls weren't exactly subtle. Was it some sort of requirement that all of the women had to have a thing for either Hiei or Kurama, because if so she passed with flying colors.

Botan pouted a bit. Why did she have to be so stupid? Hiei was … emotionally unavailable for someone like her at least. She had grown fond of him rather quickly and his irate personality along with his many unfathomable traits kept Botan intrigued. At first she thought he was interesting; unlike anyone she had ever met before, but lately she began to worry more and more about him. And just when her feelings began to deepen, he began to do all sorts of nice things for her. It just wasn't fair!

"Botan- hey Botan, you ok?"

"Oh, uh sorry! I spaced out a bit!" In all her thoughts she had forgotten that she was in the middle of a conversation with one of her acquaintances.

"It's okay."

"Would you excuse me, I have to go to the ladies room!" She wandered off to collect her thoughts. The restroom was empty for the time being and she decided to use this quiet moment to force Hiei out of her mind. Just for tonight she wanted to forget all the drama at work and in her heart. She closed her eyes, willing herself to not fret over anything because tonight was purely for fun.

A few moments later her eyes burst open at the sound of fast-tempo music beating. She quickly ran to the door and opened it revealing a darkened room filled with strobe lighting coupled with a DJ and his DJ equipment. Botan pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming then stepped into the area.

"What on earth…" She muttered, puzzled at the radical transformation the room had taken in a matter of minutes.

"You like?"

"Yusuke, you did all this?!"

They were both shouting over the loud music system.

"With the help of my trusty sidekick, Kuwabara."

"But I thought Hiei and Kurama forbid you from-"

"-Calm down, we won't get in any trouble for this. I've got everything under control." He grinned at her. "Is this how your old company parties were?"

She nodded. "All we need now are the tipsy employees."

"I think we've got that covered, Botan," Kuwabara hollered from a distance as a few workers staggered around the place merrily.

"Boy you guys let loose faster than my old group," Botan muttered as the room became filled with laughter and ramblings. She turned to find that Yusuke and Kuwabara already gone to cause more trouble. "Boys will be boys… Shizuru was right."

--

Hiei _almost_ regretted his actions when Yusuke and Kuwabara had "worked their magic," like he instructed. If only the fools jumped at all his commands like they did with this one tonight, he'd never seen them prepare and cause trouble so fast. In a matter of a few measly minutes they changed the mood of the party completely. Hiei had to give credit to his other workers as well. In the past they were notorious for their ability to get wasted in short amounts of time, but this has got to be an all time record.

This is the reason why Kurama was so against Yusuke and Kuwabara's interference. He knew better than anybody that their group of employees could let loose faster than the time it took Shura to start up some mischief. Some of the male employees even hit on Kurama, thinking he was a female and the females weren't any better. They lost all sense of the word 'boundary' when they were drunk and all their affections seemed to be for either him or Kurama. Not that Hiei objected having a meaningless night with a woman, but he made it a point to avoid doing anything with his employees. Involving himself with an over-emotional employee could just lead to future situations that he was not willing to partake in.

And so, Hiei was trying to make his way through the throng of people in order to avoid any unnecessary interactions, but as most things in Hiei's life, it did not go as planned.

"Mister Jaganshi!"

"Shit," Hiei cursed as he suddenly found himself surrounded by female employees.

One of them latched on to his arm. "Are you having a good time, sir?"

He removed Koto from his arm, or was it Juri, he always confused the two of them, seeing as they were equally annoying. As soon as the first woman was removed Juri (or was it Koto?) attached herself to his other arm. "Where's your equally sexy partner, huh?" She blurted out.

_Kurama!_ That was it, Hiei would send them off to Kurama and he could be on his way to freedom.

"He should be over by our table, he can't hold his liquor in so he's probably giving everyone a strip-tease now," Hiei lied as he pointed his finger over to his table. When Hiei looked over in the direction his finger was pointing to, he froze and could not believe what he was seeing. Upon noting his reaction, the girls all turned their attention to Kurama and were shocked at the scene they witnessed. A few even screamed in terror. Hiei used the distraction to escape to the V.I.P room where he was sure he could find some peace and quiet.

Hiei had a feeling things were going to get much wilder and he did not want to be around to observe it. Although he knew letting the goons run amuck always ended in disaster, he could not bring himself to fully regret his decision. This was a matter of his pride, after all. He would show Botan that the moment she stepped through his office doors she had been upgraded from a meagerly subordinate to the most notorious tycoon's assistant, and if throwing a better party than Koenma was the key to enlightening her, then so be it.

--

Botan made her way back to the table to find Shizuru and start enjoying the party but the sight she was met with was an unexpected one. The taller woman had draped herself all over a confused looking Kurama. Botan's eyes nearly bugged out of her head, she could hardly believe what she was seeing.

"S-so when are we gonna stop playin' around and admit that we like each other?" Shizuru's normally calm voice was more carefree and slurred.

Ah, so Shizuru was an honest-drunk. Botan would have to remember that next time she wanted to get some information about Hiei.

"Shizuru, you're intoxicated." Kurama explained as he tried with all his will to keep his composure. This was _not_ supposed to be happening! When he got his hands on Kuwabara and Yusuke… He didn't even have time to think of how he'd punish them because Shizuru had advanced further.

She draped her arms around his neck and leaned in closer and Botan's eyes widened even more.

"Please try to contain your-mph!" Kurama was silenced by Shizuru's lips and that was when Botan decided it would be best to quietly leave. She could've sworn she heard angry fan-club girls shriek when Shizuru's lips covered Kurama's, and she did not want to get caught in the middle of that.

As she walked away hurriedly, she wondered what Hiei would do if she got drunk like Shizuru and a kissed him like that. _He'd probably push me off of him and then fire me. Ugh… wait no! I'm not supposed to be thinking about Hiei. Tonight is all about having fun!_

_No thinking about Hiei… no thinking about Hiei… no thinking about Hiei!_

Throughout her mental struggle she hadn't realized the steady beat of the music was becoming fainter and the area around her was becoming more and more secluded. She kept walking oblivious to her surroundings until she found herself in a small, private room. "Hiei!?"

He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Hn."

"What are you doing here all alone? You should be enjoying the party!" She covered her mouth with her hand. "Oops! I-I mean… you should stay here. It's nice and quiet and nobody can bother you here!"

"Baka, you think I wouldn't notice what's going on in there?"

She laughed nervously. "At least everyone's spirits are high…"

"Remind you of your earlier days with the insolent brat?"

Botan nodded ignoring the insult he'd made about her friend. "I'd even go as far as to say you guys are even wilder than the others. You all sure know how to get drunk fast! I bet Koenma would've had a lot of fun…" Her eyes softened when she spoke of the son of Enma and Hiei could feel his blood beginning to boil again.

"Is he really as great as you make him out to be?" Hiei questioned advancing towards her.

"Of course, he is! Although he could act like a real toddler when he feels like it… but when he has work to do he transforms into a serious adult and no one can stop him! He makes us feel like we can do anything! And-" Botan was cut of mid-rant by Hiei. _Hey, when did he get so close?_ Botan let out an "eep," as his arm snaked around her waist and pulled her against him.

"Well here's one thing I'm sure that he'll never be able to make you feel," Hiei began as he claimed her lips with his own possessively.

When the initial shock wore off Botan found that Hiei's kiss was anything but gentle, and yet it felt good. He broke the contact shortly after, his crimson eyes piercing her stunned gaze. "You're my assistant now," he began to walk off, smirking all the while. "It'll do you well to remember that."

Botan watched as he strode off confidently. "Just because you're drunk it doesn't give you the right to kiss whoever you want!" She yelled after him in vain, knowing he probably couldn't hear her anymore, more flustered than angry.

Unbeknownst to her, Hiei heard every word she said and his smirk deepened. He hadn't touched one alcoholic beverage the whole night.

--

Well, I wasn't expecting the party to become a whole chapter on its own, but it's all good. The idea for the party didn't come outta the blue, though. When I was working part-time at a business there was this event and everyone just let loose and got drunk, it was hilarious. I was like the Botan of the party (since I'm only 18 and not of legal age to drink) and left to watch everyone else make fools outta themselves, while making sure they got home safely at the same time. Then they all came back to work the next morning acting like their normal, professional, selves. I wonder how the YYH gang is gonna act the morning after? Haha.

There wasn't much unraveling of the many mysteries I left for you lovely readers, but at least you've got some new information like… the employees are loyal to the company… Botan holds Koenma in high regards… and Hiei and Kurama have their own little fan club, haha. Sorry if you're disappointed that I haven't given away lots of answers that are crucial to the plot. But, don't worry… one day… all these questions will be answered! And wouldn't it be great if we could call 1-800-KUWA-LOVE [er… so what if there's one extra number, its Kuwabara, he can do what he wants!] and have Kuwabara answer all our questions? Hehe. Anyways, thanks for all the reviews and continual support for this story! You're all amazing~ Hope you all enjoyed this chapter.


	9. Call It Even

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 9: Call It Even

--

Botan woke up the next morning feeling exhausted and confused. The sun was far too bright for her liking, her mouth was as dry as the desert, and she had a killer headache. On top of that she could hardly remember the events of last night. Groaning she got up from her bed, squinting her eyes at the harsh sunlight that was streaming through her windows.

"Hina!" She sounded horrible; her voice was all coarse and throaty. Coughing a few times to clear her throat she continued. "It's time to wake up!"

Botan wasn't surprised when she was met with silence. Hinageshi had always been a heavy sleeper and on countless occasions Botan claimed that the girl could sleep through an earthquake. She should have known that her calls would not be enough to stir Hinageshi from her slumber.

As she slowly trudged to the guest-room where Hinageshi had been sleeping, Botan had the sneaking suspicion that she was forgetting something very important last night. The harder she racked her brains, the more apparent her headache became. She didn't even have a sufficient amount of time to ponder it because when she entered Hina's room, the girl was already gone.

Shocked that the normally tardy redhead had actually left before her, Botan glanced around the room confusedly. Her eyes landed on the clock and she let out a scream. "I'm going to be late!"

--

Botan had gotten ready and arrived at work in record time. The other's were absent from their desks and Botan figured they were just in the cafeteria finishing up their breakfast. She had picked something up on the way, along with some aspirin, and decided to eat breakfast at her workspace.

Usually they'd all go upstairs together after eating in the cafeteria, so naturally it shocked Botan to see the Kuwabara siblings and Yusuke make their way to their desks at separate times. Kuwabara had come first, muttering something about "dishonorable males" and their "good-for-nothing-foxy-lips."

Following him a good distance away was Yusuke who avoided everyone with shifty eyes and seemed untrusting of anyone and anything in his approximate vicinity.

Lastly was Shizuru who, although to strangers seemed perfectly fine, was clearly a bit ruffled. Something had gotten under her cool demeanor and Botan was anxious to know what… or rather _who_.

_Now all that's left is for Hiei and Kurama to make their grand entrances. Wait a minute… what's the date? _Her amethyst eyes quickly glanced over the calendar. _Oh yeah! Today was the day they'd be out for meetings. Silly me, and I was the one who scheduled them too!_

They would be back in a few hours or so, and that meant Hiei had left work for Botan in the same place he always left it. She opened up the drawer to find a whole stack of paperwork just waiting to be completed. She could almost see Hiei's smirk now; he always seemed so happy at other's misfortune, and by others she meant mainly hers.

--

Time passed on quickly as Botan whizzed through her assignments. It was a strange sight to behold. Shizuru hadn't even cracked one joke on her brother or Yusuke this whole time! Yusuke and Kuwabara hadn't taken one of their many breaks from work to start trouble or just avoid doing anything productive at all. They were both quiet and hardly spoke to anyone unless it was necessary.

Botan had tried to coax information out of them but she was either waved off, pointedly ignored, or told "not to worry about it." It just wasn't fair! She deserved to know after all they'd been through, right? Well… it's not as though there had been particularly troubled times in the past, but they had all grown close enough to spill their guts when necessary!

Just then Kurama and Hiei rounded the corner and made their way down the hall. _Salvation!_ Botan thought as she smiled. If anyone could get information out of them, it was those two. She ran up to the duo, but before Botan could even enlist their help, something else caught her eye.

Kuwabara was glaring daggers at Kurama as if he had stolen his precious Eikichi. Botan recoiled and shivered a bit. It was scary to see him so angry like that.

"Hey Hiei," Shizuru said not even looking up from her work. Botan glanced over and Shizuru who didn't even look over to acknowledge Kurama's presence. And then there was Yusuke who was as quiet as ever, his cautious eyes going over anyone who walked past him.

"How was the meeting? Good? I thought so!" Botan said hurriedly, not awaiting an answer. "Now that that's said and done, we've got bigger things to worry about! These three have been acting awfully strange and I can't take it anymore! You've got to help me get them back to normal!"

Hiei ignored Botan's ramblings figuring she was just overreacting; after all it is what she tended to do best. "From what I can see those three weren't normal to begin with, I don't see how we can change the natural course of things."

Botan shook her head. "You don't get it! Just look at them."

Hiei glimpsed them over swiftly only to realize his assistant was indeed right. He could care less though, he had work to do and they needed to sort out their business on their own terms.

"Onna let them handle it on their own."

Botan pouted a little disappointed that he didn't even care. "I should've known you would be of no help at all, Hiei!" She then looked to Kurama with renewed vigor. "You've got to help me Kurama, you're my only hope!"

"He's the one that started this mess in the first place," Kuwabara muttered icily.

Hiei turned to Kurama fully well knowing where Kuwabara was going with this. Yusuke had even stopped eyeing others cautiously to listen in to the conversation.

"What? But-he… uh… say what now?!" Botan was utterly confused. Kurama hadn't been here in the morning, meaning whatever was bothering them now occurred during the party. Now if she could only remember what happened during the party, she'd be one step closer to solving this!

"I assure you, it's not as bad as Kuwabara makes it seem," Kurama retorted professionally.

_C'mon Botan think… it was just last night, your memory can't be that bad! _Things were coming back slowly. Hiei had given her a ride. She had met and mingled with numerous employees.

"Hm… you say that now. But if you had a sister and you saw what I saw I'm sure you'd feel the same way!" Kuwabara countered.

"Let it go baby bro…" Shizuru tried to mediate, not wanting this to blow up.

_Think…_ She went to the bathroom and when she came out the place was completely transformed thanks to Yusuke and Kuwabara.

"I can't let it go! I don't think I'll ever be able to forget the image of you and Kurama making out in public for everyone to see!" Kuwabara shouted as Shizuru punched him while admonishing the boy for saying it so loud for everyone to hear.

_Bingo! Shizuru got drunk and started kissing Kurama! Then Hiei kissed me and I… I can't remember anything else! …Wait a minute! Hiei _kissed_ me?!_

"You…" Botan began pointing a finger accusingly towards Hiei. "…you kissed me last night and I can't remember anything after that!" All eyes turned to Hiei as he averted his eyes indifferently.

"Oops…" She muttered feebly as she covered her mouth with her hands. Why was she such a blabbermouth?

Shizuru's face looked impassive but her next sentence betrayed her countenance. "So his kiss was that good, huh? You can't even remember anything after it." Yusuke and Kuwabara found that comment funny and shortly after they were laughing and poking fun at her. Kurama was even smiling a bit at her misfortune. It was funny how fast the situation turned on her and she was the one acting strange now.

Botan blushed shaking her head furiously. "No way! It's not like that… It's not funny!" She looked to Hiei for some sort of assistance, knowing fully well that he probably wouldn't help her even though it was his fault that she was in this situation in the first place.

Hiei sighed. "She got piss drunk due to a certain pair of fools spiking her drink, that's why she can't remember anything else."

"I did?" Well that explains why she could only remember up to a certain point. She averted her gaze to Yusuke and Kuwabara. "You two…"

"You think that's bad? I almost got my ass raped by some butch guy!" Yusuke shivered at the memory.

"You did?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yeah and if a certain someone hadn't run off to go save his sister from the 'clutches of Kurama,' then maybe he could've warned me that I was being targeted!" Yusuke countered glaring at Kuwabara.

"Now I wish I could remember the rest of the night, it seemed interesting enough!" Botan grinned smugly at Yusuke.

"Well I wish I could forget it," Yusuke muttered looking off warily to make sure no one was watching him.

"I think I can help you," Kurama began as he recollected the events of last night.

--

Shizuru latched her arms around his neck and that's when it all clicked. She was far too intelligent and tolerant to get drunk off of one drink that Yusuke or Kuwabara might have spiked. She had an ulterior motive and Kurama could only guess that it was to retrieve the pack of cigarettes that he had stolen from her before.

Before he had time to react however, her mouth engulfed his own. Never one to back down from a challenge, Kurama kissed her back, taking complete control of both Shizuru and the situation. He resisted the urge to smirk against her lips as he felt her tense up.

Shizuru was in complete shock, never in a million years guessing that he would react, or that he would be such a good kisser. She figured she could shock him and then slip her precious cigarettes out of his pocket, but fate had decided that she was the one who was in for the shock tonight.

Moments later Kuwabara came rushing over to the duo, breaking it up promptly. "What the heck is goin on here?!"

They both detached themselves from each other as Kuwabara glared at them for an answer.

"Run along home baby bro, isn't it passed your bedtime?" She waved him off taking a sip of her drink.

"Oh no Shizuru, you're not gonna change the topic this time. I can't believe you… and you Kurama. You're my sister's boss!"

"Please try to restrain yourself, Kuwabara. You've surely misunderstood the situation." Kurama said glancing over to Shizuru quickly. He could tell she was trying with all the determination she had to keep up her countenance.

"Which part did I misunderstand? The part where you were all over my sister or the part where you deny it and act like it was no big deal!"

"Kazuma-" Shizuru started.

"-No. I'm sitting down right here and I'll be watching you… and especially you!" Kuwabara pointed a finger at Kurama, his small black eyes glaring at the other man. He then swiftly pulled out a chair and sat down. Kurama could feel his eyes on the back of his head and he was beginning to feel a tad bit unsettled.

Just then Botan came into view, her cheeks tinted with red, and Kurama couldn't tell whether it was because she was embarrassed or angry. She had come from the direction of the VIP room where Kurama knew Hiei, so he assumed it was a mixture of both.

She marched up to the table and picked up her drink. "The nerve of that jerk!"

"Hey Bo, you okay?" Shizuru asked as the girl looked over to her.

Botan's face contorted from his angry glare to its sheepish one. "I didn't notice you all sitting here like this… silly me!" She laughed nervously.

"Yes, we could tell. I take it Hiei has angered you."

Botan nodded and her sheepish look was replaced with a determined stare. "But tonight will be filled with good memories only!" She moved her drink to her lips and Kurama remembered the possibility that either Yusuke or Kuwabara could've added a kick to it.

"Botan wait-" Kurama tried to warn her but it was too late, she had already downed all of her drink in a matter of seconds.

"That tasted differently than I remembered…" She muttered as her face flushed even more than before. "Why … is the room spinning?" She giggled.

Kurama sighed.

"She's drunk." Shizuru stated amused.

"Oops." Kuwabara mumbled. He had been the one to spike her drink.

Just then they heard Yusuke yell. "Get your dirty hands off of me you son of a bitch!" The sound of his fist meeting someone's face was apparent. "And this one's for the lousy pick up line!" They could only imagine he had hit the person again.

"This… is becoming somewhat chaotic." Kurama noted as Hiei came out from the VIP room followed by many girls.

"Kurama, I'm leaving, you make sure everyone gets home safely." Hiei ordered as he tried to shake the girls away from him.

Kurama nodded then stopped him. "Hiei wait."

Hiei turned around anxious for Kurama to speak; the girl's were getting rowdy. "Before you go, take Botan. She fell victim to one of Yusuke and Kuwabara's pranks."

He looked down at the currently giggling girl and sighed. Not giving Hiei a chance to protest, Kurama continued. "You're the only one who knows where she lives, the least you could do is take her home. I think I've got more than my share of employees to worry about." The redhead motioned towards all the confusion.

Hiei nodded as he gripped her arm. Sure, Botan had the tendency of getting on his nerves, but right now he'd rather take her home than fend for himself with a horde of tipsy love-sick women. "Let's go."

"Hey… where are you taking me, Hiei?" She slurred. "The party's not over yet!"

--

"As for the rest, Hiei will have to fill you in," Kurama finished.

Botan turned to Hiei for answers. "You were obnoxious and unrefined."

Realizing that was all he'd say about the night Botan rolled her eyes. "Thanks for that wonderfully detailed description, Hiei."

"I've got work to do and so do the rest of you, so before this day becomes wasted I suggest you all get busy." With that said Hiei left to the confines of his office.

"You heard the tyrant. Let's get busy." Shizuru insisted as they broke away from the group and went to their separate stations.

--

As he worked Hiei's thoughts drifted back to a specific conversation from last night. He was beginning to grow tired of Botan's drunken antics and asked her if she'd had any sort of upbringing at all.

"_Well I didn't have the best role-model and my father wasn't around all that much anyway…"_

That was what she answered him with. Her usually bubbly eyes were brimming over with sadness and the sight shocked Hiei. She was hiding so much pain behind those bright smiles and innocent eyes and he grew curious as to what had occurred in her past.

When he questioned her she reverted back to her drunken daze and changed the topic. When they reached her apartment he escorted her to her door, and left her in the hands of that little girl. The little midget had the audacity to accuse Hiei of being the one who got Botan drunk and Hiei just glared at her. Why such immature people chose to invade his life was beyond him.

He quickly shook all thoughts of Botan and her past out of his head. There would be more opportunities for him to acquire information; right now he had a job to do.

--

The next time Hiei stepped out of his office was around lunchtime. He saw that Botan was still working and everyone else was nowhere to be found. "Where are the others?"

Botan's head jerked up to see Hiei staring back at her. She smiled getting up and walking over to him.

"They stepped out for lunch already. I just wanted to finish what I had started, and now I'm done! Will you be joining us?"

He shook his head. "I've got other matters to attend to."

"Oh." Maybe Hiei was imaging things but she looked a bit disappointed that he wasn't having lunch with them today. But it was only a fleeting emotion as she perked up. "Say, Hiei, how's my baby doing? I haven't seen him in so long, I'm sure he's all grown up and probably can't recognize his Mommy, anymore!"

"He's fine."

"I miss him." She pouted a little and looked up to see Hiei had already begun to walk away from her. "Hey, wait! Where are you going, anyway?"

"Home. I left some documents there."

"Oh, well maybe after you can bring him here. Only for a little while, so I can see him!" She sounded like a little child bargaining with an adult.

Hiei looked at her as if she were crazy. Not after the last fiasco that occurred. His office looked like a tornado had passed through the last time that wretched thing was here.

"Out of the question," Hiei said sternly, crossing his arms.

Botan pouted once again. "You're so mean, Hiei! I just want to see him for a little while. You're hogging him all to yourself!"

Hiei was about to chew her out, stating that he didn't even want to take care of the dog, and she was the one who pushed the responsibility onto him, but his eyes caught hold of her small pink lips. He remembered how soft and pliable they were and he found himself wanting to kiss her again.

Disgusted by his sudden behavior, he shook the thought out of his head. His actions last night were rather impulsive and he himself didn't even know why he did it. He was lucky she wasn't making a big deal about the kiss and he figured if she could do that for him, as payment he'd allow her to see the damned dog.

"Gather your things. Rather than bring that abomination here, I'll bring you to him," Hiei said as he watched her face light up.

"Yes sir!" Botan exclaimed as she ran to her desk and picked up her bag.

--

Botan was itching with excitement as she walked down the hallway. Each step took her closer and closer to Hiei's place. Of course she was happy to see her dog, but for some reason entering Hiei's dwellings gave her a great sense of exhilaration. She wondered how it would look, if it would smell like him, how it would be decorated, and so much more.

Hiei stopped at one of the doors and Botan smiled at him. Finally, she would see where he lived. She wondered if it would be a mess or not, figuring it was probably clean. She couldn't imagine Hiei living in a dirty, unorganized mess.

"Wait right here, I'll bring him out."

Botan's face dropped. Maybe it was dirty after all? "You don't have to worry about tidying the place up, Hiei. You've seen my apartment already; it's not the neatest of places!"

"I have no intentions of letting you inside," He answered.

"That's awfully rude, Hiei. The least you could do is let me in!" She narrowed her eyes at him, putting her arms on her hips.

"I see no reason for it." His expression was firm and uncompromising.

Just then a sly grin appeared on his assistant's face. Hiei eyed her warily wondering just what the hell was going through her head.

"You kissed me last night, and I think I've been very cooperative considering the severity of the situation. Did you know there are legal repercussions against such actions between a boss and his assistant, _sir_?"

Hiei rolled his eyes. So now she wanted to act professional with him? Asking your boss to take care of your pet, pushing yourself into his personal affairs, and bothering the hell out of him didn't seem like things an employee did to her superior.

"Call it even," he grunted as he opened the door leaving space for her to pass through.

"Why thank you, sir. You are so kind!" She practically skipped in and Hiei glared at her as he shut the door.

The complex was a typical bachelor pad. Black leather couches, tasteful furnishings, and high-tech everything. Botan wasn't surprised though; he was Hiei Jaganshi, one of the richest people she knew.

"Nice place, so are you going to give me a tour?" Botan asked good-naturedly fully knowing what kind of answer she'd receive. Hiei just ignored her, deciding it wasn't worth it to answer. He was mad enough that he allowed her to enter in the first place.

Suddenly the dog ran to Botan, tail wagging and barking. She bent down to dote and fawn on him as she usually did, praising the dog and laughing. Hiei watched her intently his glare slowly dissolving.

He never made it a habit to bring women to his home; usually they'd go over to her place or even a hotel depending on where exactly they were. He felt bringing them home was a sign of commitment and Hiei wasn't one for that. He never got anymore involved with a woman than needed be. Yukina was the only one he allowed here and the very fact that Botan was here now, comfortable as ever, was a bit unnerving to Hiei. She was breaking down every rule he had with ease.

"Baka onna," he muttered, angrier with himself for letting her do what no other woman had before.

"Did you say something?" She looked up to see Hiei walking out into the hall. Shrugging, she returned all her attention back to the dog.

Unexpectedly, the phone began to ring. Botan called for Hiei but he didn't answer. She walked over to the phone hesitantly, unsure of what to do.

Would it be rude to pick up? Would it be considered rude to not answer? Would Hiei get mad if she picked up, claiming she was butting into his personal affairs or would he be angrier if he missed the call? Either way ended with Botan being in trouble so she decided not to do anything.

"If this is work related call the office… if you're anyone but Yukina, hang up."

Botan smiled, baffled at how intimidating his voice can seem, even through a phone line. It was kind of cute. …_Wait, cute? I must be going mad. The day Hiei acts cute is the day the world is coming to an end!_

After the beep Yukina's voice was heard. "Hiei please, she's getting worse. I know you said knowing her identity is enough but there might not be much time left." She broke off in a sob and Botan could hear the girl trying to take hold of her emotions and sound brave. It made her heart ache.

"If you're afraid, that's ok. If you're hurt then tell her how you feel. Please, I don't want you to regret not meeting our Mother at least once before she… before she…" the answering machine cut off leaving Botan stunned.

Botan saw Hiei at the door, eyes a little wider than usual, conflicted with himself.

"Hiei…"

He snapped his attention back at her, his cold indifferent mask slipped back on.

"Don't," Hiei warned.

"But I-"

"Damn it, I said don't onna." His eyes narrowed. "Erase everything you heard just now, it doesn't concern you." She looked at him sadly.

"Don't give me that look. I know you've got ghosts in your pasts that haunt you as well. Did you think I wouldn't notice the lack of a last name, the old man in Tokyo, the absence of your parents, and all those forced smiles leave much to be questioned, Botan." His voice was colder than he intended it to be, but if it got the point across then it had served its purpose.

Botan gasped. It was one of the few times he'd said her name and the bitter manner in which he said it sent shivers down her spine. Upon her silent reaction he continued in a somewhat softer tone than before. "We've all got problems that we'd rather not solve so let's just leave them be."

When she finally found her voice she replied. "How did you know that I-"

"You said something about it last night when you were drunk."

Botan cursed herself mentally. Oh the irony! For her to reveal part of her past to Hiei while she was drunk! She was starting to remind herself of her… She shook her head not wanting to remember. She promised herself she would never be like _her_, ever.

"Oh…"

"As far as I'm concerned, the events of both last night and today will be forgotten."

Botan nodded slowly, still lost in her own thoughts.

Hiei sighed. "I said forget about it, not sit there with that dim look on your face."

He could tell she had some deep issues concerning the past, but Hiei just couldn't figure out what it was exactly. He hardly knew anything about her and it seemed as though she was determined to keep it that way.

Botan snapped out of her thoughts plastering a smile on her face. "Sorry about that, I zoned out for a second. Silly me!"

She began to play with the dog, giggling once more, but Hiei could tell she was still troubled. It was unnerving how easy it was for her to hide behind her cheerful and bright façade.

--

On the ride back to work, Botan had been thinking over everything Hiei had said. He would forget what she said last night and let go of all the discrepancies that clouded her past. In return she would have to forget about what she heard Yukina say.

It seemed like a good deal. She certainly did not want Hiei to dig up information about her it was just too painful to remember the past. It wasn't worth it.

Botan stiffened. Digging up the past, searching for clues … those were all things she had been doing recently to find out more about Hiei. She was such a fool. She of all people should know the feeling of wanting to get rid of the past, and here she was trying to uncover Hiei's. It wouldn't be right for her to continue doing this, not when she had witnessed firsthand the adverse affect the past had on Hiei.

She had to end her mission, for the sake of both her and Hiei's sanity. It was the proper thing to do after all.

"Hiei?" Botan said softly.

He looked over to her.

"I promise, I'll disregard what I heard Yukina say today if you promise to overlook what I said last night. We'll call it even." She extended her hand out to Hiei's and he slowly took her hands in his, shaking it and sealing the deal.

--

Oh no! Is Botan's mission truly over? What's up with Hiei, Yukina, and his Mother? Who knows, I certainly don't. Just kidding, of course I know! Haha. Pretty soon you guys will get to see what happened in both Hiei and Botan's pasts, so look forward to it! Thanks for reading and reviewing past chapters. Please continue to do so! I love reviews. Hehe.


	10. A New Mission

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!

**A/N: Attention my amazing readers! I don't know why, but for some reason a lot of people couldn't see Chapter 9. I guess for a while it just didn't show up on the site? Just check back to make sure you did read Chapter 9 before you read this one. Thank you!**

Chapter 10: A New Mission

Hiei and Botan had just agreed to forget anything concerning the other's past as they made their way back to their stations. They stopped in front of Hiei's office and he opened the door, walking inside. Unexpectedly, Botan followed him ignoring the questioning stare he was giving her.

"You know, Hiei. I think I should visit more often; it's not healthy to keep a parent away from their child. Think of the separation issues and loneliness that our poor baby might be feeling!" She advised in a serious tone.

If Botan was paying closer attention to Hiei she would've noticed the way he flinched at words. If she had been listening intently she would've noticed how half-hearted his insult was, but she wasn't, and she didn't. "Don't get carried away, baka. That was your first and last chance to ever enter my home."

"Darn it!" She snapped her fingers. "And I thought I made a good enough argument, too!"

"Hn."

Before Botan could respond, her stomach growled. "I guess I'm hungry, I didn't even get to eat lunch." She blushed as she rubbed her stomach.

Hiei didn't answer instead choosing to walk over to his desk and place a manila folder on it. It was probably whatever he needed back from his place, Botan presumed.

At his silence she began to excuse herself. "I'll just go and get something at the cafeteria. Oh, you must be hungry too. Do you want anything?"

"Don't bother."

At that moment, Shizuru walked in with two bags. "I've got your lunches just as you've ordered, master."

Hiei nodded as Botan graciously accepted. "Oh Shizuru you shouldn't have!"

"Don't worry about it, Bo." The brunette smiled. "But I've got to wonder where you two went all this time?"

"Oh, nowhere special, I just went to see my baby!" Botan waved her off.

"You went to Hiei's place?" Shizuru asked incredulously, wondering if she heard correctly. Whenever Botan referred to 'her baby' she was talking about the dog. From what Shizuru had recalled Hiei was taking care of the dog, seeing as Botan wasn't allowed to keep pets in her apartment building. That meant, in order for Botan go visit the dog, she'd have to go to Hiei's home. For something so simple, it just didn't add up.

"That's right." Botan nodded slowly, making a puzzled face.

"The same Hiei who would never commit to anyone or do the same girl twice, took you to his home?" Her eyebrows were raised in disbelief.

Botan threw a disgusted look at her boss then returned her attention back to Shizuru. "Ew, I did not need to know that!"

"Just stating the facts," Shizuru muttered as Hiei smirked, obviously proud of his record.

"So," the taller girl began, a coy smile spreading across her face as she turned to Hiei. "You kissed her last night and brought her back to your place this morning? I've got to say that's fast, even for you, Hiei. Slow down, where's the fire?"

"In his pants, obviously!" Botan muttered, still disgusted with the news she had heard. She cast a wary glance in Hiei's direction, careful to avoid his eyes. She couldn't believe she let him kiss her! Who knows how many other women he's kissed before? The thought caused her to blush slightly and she promptly erased all thoughts of last night from her head. _He was probably tipsy or something… and even if he was fully sober, a kiss to Hiei probably holds no emotional attachment._

Hiei shoved his hands in his pockets averting his gaze from both females. He honestly couldn't understand why Botan was so appalled. He was a grown man with needs! A tryst here and a one night stand there never hurt anybody.

"And you, Botan. I never pinned you out to be that type of girl…" At this very moment Shizuru seemed as if she was the elder sister of Yusuke Urameshi, rather than Kazuma Kuwabara.

"It's not like _that_, Shizuru!" Botan countered frantically, but her words fell upon deaf ears as Shizuru continued.

"Making out with you at a party would seem like something Hiei would do, but taking you to his house is definitely unexpected. Looks like you've got him whipped, Bo. Good job." She patted the shorter girl on the back, giving credit where it was due.

"If I'm not mistaken, you've had your fair share of kissing last night as well." Hiei retorted with a smirk.

"That's right!" Botan said accusingly as she pointed at Shizuru. Her mouth twisted into a small smile and her eyes narrowed, reminding Shizuru of a cat. "I never did get to hear your side of the story…"

"There's nothing left to tell. It was just a mutual kiss between two platonic friends," the brunette responded twirling a strand of hair around her finger indifferently.

"A what?!" Botan began, confused. "Oh come on, don't be a spoil sport! I want to hear all the details-"

"Would you look at the time; I better start on my work. We'll chat later," Shizuru said effectively cutting Botan off as she walked out the door. Kissing Kurama last night was possibly one of the biggest mistakes she had ever made in her life. Why did her emotions like to set her up for such obvious heart-breaks?

"Well, don't we make quite the efficient team?" Botan's eyes twinkled as she smiled. "It was a pleasure doing business with you, sir!" She said as she mock-saluted Hiei. She then turned around and walked out of his office smiling.

Hiei turned back to his desk ruffling through some papers. His eyes caught hold of the paper-weight that Botan had bought for him during their visit to Tokyo.

_Botan_…

Shizuru was absolutely right. It wasn't like him to bring Botan to his house at all. Lately he'd found himself doing a lot of things that he wouldn't normal do, and it was all because of her. Well all that bullshit was over. Hiei would no longer bend the rules for her. From today onwards he would treat her the same way he treated everyone else, no exceptions.

Now if only he could get the image of her lips out of his head…

--

The rest of the days were relatively normal, or as normal as life could be for the disorderly group. There had been no major confrontations, no outrageous events, and no signs of impending doom. Everything had been going nicely.

Yukina had visited a few times and during those visits, Botan vividly remembered her pleading message. She wanted to help, but it was all in vain. She had completely given up on her mission to find out about Hiei's past and that meant she couldn't stick her nose into business that did not concern her. At least whenever Yukina visited she hid her pain well. Botan would've never noticed something had been going on unless she had been at Hiei's that day.

The air had cleared between Kurama and Shizuru and they were back to their subtle flirting and stolen glances routine. At least that's the way Botan saw it. In fact, it was starting to get on her nerves. It was so obvious that they liked each other! Maybe that could be her new mission, hooking Kurama and Shizuru up! She could lock them in a closet together until they sorted out their feelings, or send fake love notes to each one addressed from the other! On second thought, Botan scrapped that idea. Kurama was too intuitive and Shizuru always knew when Botan was up to something.

Yusuke and Kuwabara were back to their old antics. The good old rumor-mill was still going strong, the latest one being that Botan's natural hair color was not blue. She resented them for that; it's not her fault she was born with blue hair! But what's worse was that everyone was trying to figure out what her real color was. Blue, brown, blonde, red, and even green were some of the popular guesses. How they came up with green was unfathomable. She was really growing tired of convincing people that her hair was one-hundred percent naturally blue, and she did not waste an insane amount of money every week buying blue hair gel. Honest!

Last, but certainly not least in Botan's heart, Hiei had been his normal self. Cold and indifferent, yet never missed the chance to insult someone. Even so, Botan still found herself drawn to him. He had become such an irreplaceable person in her life and right now she couldn't bear to imagine him not being there. Somewhere between working for him and getting taunted by him she had found herself slowly falling in love.

Botan never made it a habit to fall in love with jerks, but she figured Hiei could be her one exception. Beneath his cold fronts and icy glares, he had a warm heart. Botan saw it every time he was around Yukina and in those rare instances when he chose to be kind to her. He wasn't quick to let people in his heart, but once they were there, he remained loyal to them. He was brutally honest, trustworthy, and kept his word. It was hard to find such admirable men nowadays. Upon contemplating it further, there are tons of guys worse off than Hiei that she could have fallen for and he simply didn't seem as bad as she previously thought he was.

"Hey Botan," Kuwabara stepped over to where she was sitting. "Daydreaming about your imaginary boyfriend or something?"

Botan snapped her attention to the boy in front of her. "No. For your information I was just contemplating a few things."

"Don't you two have work to finish?" Shizuru made her way over to the duo, putting something in her bag. Botan assumed she had stepped out for her 'stress relief' which consisted of a cigarette, a lighter, and an isolated place with no Kurama in sight.

"I'm just taking a little break," Botan confessed making her usual kitty-face.

"So am I," Shizuru admitted.

"It's just about time for me and Urameshi's hourly break," Kuwabara replied.

"…Speaking of, where is Yusuke anyway?" Botan asked her eyes searching for any sign of gelled hair and ruffled clothes.

As if on cue he came huffing down the hall, Shura in tow. "Somebody take this little devil!"

"Yusuke, that's no way to talk about a child!" Botan argued as Shura ran over to her. She smiled down at him and patted his head. He looked up to her expectantly and she fished in her purse for any sort of candy. As she extended it to him his purple eyes glazed over and he accepted it with glee.

"Yeah well that's no normal kid. He's the devil's spawn!"

Botan covered Shura's ears and glared at Yusuke.

"Don't look at me like that. He broke the water cooler, soaked a few employees, destroyed some copy-machines, tried to start a fire, hid all of the ink and toner cartridges, made a mess in the meeting room, left the water running in all of the sinks he could get his grubby little paws on…"

Yusuke drawled on and Botan's eyes got bigger with each offense. She looked down at the seemingly innocent boy who was devouring his candy.

"…And who gets stuck with the cleaning and apologizing? Me!" Yusuke finished glaring daggers at the child.

Botan bent down so she was at eye-level with him. "Is that true, Shura?"

He nodded slowly, his wide eyes never once looking into Botan's. She sighed. "Why? I know you can control yourself and you're not a bad kid, so why all the trouble?"

Shura opened his mouth to speak but took note of all the eyes staring at him, awaiting his answer. Botan turned around and shooed them away, clasping her hands together. When they didn't budge an inch she gave them the most pleading look she could muster. Soon enough they got the picture and decided to give Shura his space.

"It's the only way…" he began.

"Yes, it's the only way…" Botan echoed, watching him eagerly.

"It's the only way I can get my father to notice me," He spat out, clenching his fists. "He's always so wrapped up in his business it's like he forgets I'm even alive! I'm sick of it!"

"Shura…"

"The only time he actually pays attention is when he's scolding me. For everything else he just shoves me off to others."

By now he was shaking a bit, and Botan could clearly see he was trying to hold back his tears. This was probably the first time he had ever voiced such deep emotions before.

"I wonder if… if he even _cares_-"

Shura was cut off by a pair of warm arms surrounding him. "I know how you feel. In fact I used to feel the same way too, sometimes. But I know this much: your father loves you and wouldn't have you any other way. You are his most important thing. Everything he owns will be yours after all, so all this work he's doing is for _you_."

He remained silent as Botan hugged him, taking in all her words. As soon as she let go, he wiped some tears that he didn't even realize had fallen and pulled himself together. "Thanks…" he muttered lowly, somewhat embarrassed. "And if you tell anyone about this-"

"-I got it," she smiled. "What happens at Botan's desk stays at Botan's desk!"

Soon after Yomi appeared and took his son with him. By the time they were down the hall and out of eyesight, Shizuru, Kuwabara, and Yusuke all gathered around her desk. Kurama came out of his office as well, seeing as Yomi was gone.

"So what did the little brat tell you?" Yusuke asked hurriedly.

"I'm no obligated to reveal such highly classified information," Botan said crossing her arms. She was never good under pressure, especially with secrets, so she had to make her escape now! Maybe she'd go to the cafeteria to get something to eat? _Bingo_! She picked up her bag and attempted to leave her cubicle, but Shizuru was standing in the entrance, blocking her.

"You better tell us or do I have to reveal what happened last week in the-" Shizuru began slyly.

"-I'll tell you guys, I promise! I was just trying to have a little fun!" Botan pouted. "He's a good kid; he just wants his father to notice him."

"Yeah well taking care of that brat was not part of my contract. I'm sure this isn't what my old man wanted when he signed me up for this job…" Yusuke muttered more to himself than anyone else.

"You never know, this could be exactly what he wanted. I believe it's something like, giving you a taste of your own medicine?" Kurama mused.

"Hey! I'm nowhere near as bad as him! And if I have to put up with that thing any longer we can just break the damn deal off, nothing is worth that amount of torture, not even my old man's business."

"…Huh?" Botan asked confused.

"I suppose you don't know about Yusuke's father." Kurama started as Botan shook her head. "He was Raizen-"

"Raizen, _Raizen_?" Botan questioned as Kurama shook his head. "The CEO of that ridiculously wealthy corporation?"

"I guess there's no need for introductions then," Kurama began. "He was Yusuke's biological father."

"Yeah. I grew up with my mother and two years ago he revealed himself to me." Yusuke ran a hand through his gelled hair. "I'm not gonna lie when I say I hated the bastard. Who was he to come into my life now of all times especially when he abandoned us?"

Botan nodded absorbing all of the information intently.

"After that he visited us a lot, trying to bond with his only son, I guess. At first I was reluctant, but he was so damn persistent. A year into our relationship I learned he was suffering from some form of stomach cancer. I guess he wanted to make amends before he kicked the bucket."

Yusuke continued upon everyone's silence. "And to my surprise he left everything to me."

"But there was a condition," Kurama interjected.

"Right. He asked Hiei and Kurama to hire me and teach me the ropes. Once they feel I'm ready, I get the goods. It's just like him to try something sneaky like this, but I wouldn't have it any other way. If I'm going to inherit everything I might as well earn it because of my strength and not just because I'm his son." Yusuke finished.

"How admirable!" Botan praised as Yusuke grinned.

"Wait a darn minute, Urameshi! So you're filthy rich now?!" Kuwabara bellowed.

"Not exactly, he hasn't fulfilled any of the requirements of being a successful CEO yet." Kurama reminded Kuwabara.

Kuwabara crossed his arms. "Why didn't you tell me you punk?"

"You didn't know?" Botan raised a brow. She figured everybody but her knew this by now. They had been working here longer than her, after all.

"No! They always keep me in the dark about these things!" Kuwabara whined.

"Sorry bro, I thought you knew. I figured you and Yusuke had no secrets," Shizuru said.

"You knew about this too?! So you told everyone but me, Urameshi!?" His coarse voice could be heard by everyone on their floor.

"Relax, I overheard them talking about it one day and asked, that's all." Shizuru defended, trying to calm her brother down. Kurama remained quiet, realizing whatever he said would be in vain.

Yusuke sighed. "It's no big deal, Kuwabara. If I thought it was that important I would've told you about it."

"It _is_ a big deal!" Kuwabara said desperately. "Especially when everyone but me knows about it!"

"Hey, I didn't know about it either, you know!" Botan cut in. "Maybe Yusuke had his reasons for keeping it a secret!"

"You don't get it, Botan!" Kuwabara glared at the others. "This isn't the first time they all kept something big like this a secret!"

"What are you talking about?" Botan questioned, eager to know what had upset Kuwabara so much.

"Oh. I know what he's talking about!" Yusuke grinned. "You just can't let it go, can you Kuwabara?"

"No, I can't," he huffed, sticking his nose in the air.

"Well the idiot-"

"Let me tell it Urameshi, it is my story, after all."

"Fine."

"The moment I laid eyes on my beautiful Yukina I knew I had fallen in love. She was so graceful, kind, caring, and radiant. She was unlike any other woman I've seen before. The apple of my eye, my reason for living, the-"

"Just get on with it…" Shizuru groaned, slapping a hand to her face.

Kuwabara shot her a glare and continued. "Ahem. It was love at first sight. We hit it off and she realized that I was her knight in shining armor, a true man, the only one for her-"

"Just the facts please, Kuwabara." Kurama interrupted.

"Anyway, each day we got closer and fell more in love with each other. They would always have these smug looks on their faces, like they knew something I didn't, but I just ignored them. Sometimes I couldn't shake the feeling that they were all in on this joke that I wasn't a part of, but I just figured they were jealous that I had a girl as sweet as Yukina and they didn't! And then, a few weeks later, the ugly truth was revealed."

"…And? What was it?!" Botan asked impatiently.

"I learned that Yukina was Hiei's twin sister."

"That's… all?!" Botan faltered.

"Yes! The love of my life was related to my mortal enemy! And they all knew and didn't even try to tell me!" Kuwabara pointed to them accusingly.

"We figured if you were stupid enough not to notice, you didn't deserve to know at all." Shizuru reminded him.

Yusuke's laughter cut through the conversation. "He even accused Hiei of being in love with Yukina and being jealous of their 'relationship.'" Yusuke put air quotes around the word. "He confronted Hiei and learned the truth. I've never seen Kuwabara turn that shade of white before."

"It's not funny!"

Botan smiled apologetically at Kuwabara, trying desperately not to laugh. "I'm sorry, Kuwabara. But at least now there are no more secrets, cheer up!"

"Yeah right… I just learn my best friend has been keeping the biggest secret of his life from me and I'm supposed to cheer up."

"I'm touched, Kuwabara, really I am, but get over it man." Yusuke put his hand on Kuwabara's shoulder jovially. "So what if I could be rich, I'm still me, right?"

Kuwabara shoved the arm off. "Now that everyone's letting out secrets, are you secretly filthy rich too, Botan?" Kuwabara asked sarcastically.

All eyes turned to her and Botan began to feel nervous. She shook her head fervently denying his claims. "I'm just good old Botan! Nothing more nothing less! Why would you ask me something as silly as that Kuwabara?" Botan began to laugh nervously. She glanced around at all of them putting on her kitty face.

Kurama's eyes bore into her own and at that moment it all clicked. He knew who she was and he mentally kicked himself for not realizing it sooner. Botan's eyes scanned over to Kurama's and she was about to ask him why he was staring at her like that but Kuwabara spoke up, cutting through the silence.

"Well I know Hiei and Kurama are rich. Yusuke's rich. My sister isn't and neither am I. You're the only one left, so I figured I might as well just ask…" Kuwabara admitted as he scratched his head sheepishly.

"Well I'm not," Botan said firmly. "But I'm sure Yusuke had good reasons for not telling you, so don't stay too mad at him, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Kuwabara shrugged her off.

Before the conversation could continue the fire alarms went off, the intensity of it making Botan cringe.

"We need to evacuate, now." Kurama informed as the rest nodded. He motioned for Shizuru and Botan to go ahead, and then scanned the area around him. Once he was certain no one else was left behind he followed suit.

The employees were lead across the street as they watched for any signs of smoke or fire. They soon began to point and stare at the smoke coming out of one of the windows. Soon enough sirens were heard blazing and fire trucks rounded the corner.

"Thank goodness they arrived sooner than I expected!" Botan exclaimed as she let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding in. She scanned over her friends to make sure they were all okay and that's when she realized, Hiei was nowhere to be found.

Her amethyst eyes searched through the crowd frantically, but there was no sign of Hiei anywhere. "Kurama… where's Hiei?!" She asked distraught. Upon hearing her question the others turned their heads, trying to catch a glimpse of the black-haired tycoon among the crowd, but it was to no avail.

"Before the alarm rang he was taking care of some business on the floor below us. He must have made it out safely before we did." Kurama assured her, his voice soothing, but not enough to pacify the horrible images of Hiei burning in a fire.

She shook her head. "N-no… I don't see him anywhere. He… he could still be in there! What if he's hurt?" She made a move to run back to the building but Kurama stopped her.

"Botan." Kurama placed his hands on both of her shoulders, looking her square in the eye. "You need to calm down, I'm sure he's safe."

"I have this awful feeling that he's still in there, I don't know why, but I just do! I can't just sit here and wait if he's trouble, I don't want to lose him." She looked back at him, her normally bright eyes narrowed. "You're his friend; don't you care at all what happens to him?"

Taken back by Botan's blatant confession his grip on her shoulders loosened, allowing her to escape his grasp. She ran as fast as she could, the others close behind her, but stopped when she saw Hiei exit the building, a little ruffled, but alive. He was supporting a female employee who was immediately taken by an ambulance.

He walked over to them after convincing, more like scaring off, the ambulance workers that he was fine.

"Hiei! Are you alright?" Botan didn't even give him time to answer as she latched onto him, hugging him fiercely. "I was so worried! I thought you were… Don't ever scare me like that again!"

He let her vent her frustrations off and then pulled her off of him gruffly, ignoring how good it felt. "I'm fine," He reassured.

"You don't look too good there; maybe you should've let them examine you…" Shizuru muttered as Yusuke and Kuwabara nodded.

"I'm said I'm _fine_." Hiei growled out. Were they all deaf or something? He was perfectly fine; a little fire would never be enough to do away with him.

"Alright, you're fine." Kurama agreed. "But what happened back there?"

He sighed, not one for summing up events, or speaking much in general. "While I was on my way out I saw her caught in the fire and helped her out of the building." He said it as if it were no big deal, as if it was something anyone would do, but his nonchalance didn't make it any less heroic. He saved that woman's life.

"Dude, you just saved her life and you act like it's not big deal!" Yusuke bellowed, patting Hiei on the back.

"Even though I can't stand you most of the time, I gotta admit, you're an honorable man Hiei." Kuwabara confessed solemnly, as if it were one of the highest compliments he could give a person.

"You put yourself in danger to save a complete stranger. I'm impressed, Hiei." Shizuru said seriously.

"Yes, that's just the kind of person he is." Kurama joined in.

"You all would have done the same." Hiei shoved his hands, ignoring everyone's comments with an air of indifference. He wasn't used to such praise about his character. It was only natural to save her; she was in trouble and he was there. There was nothing more to it. He looked to see Botan smiling at him with such admiration and he felt his heart begin to quicken. He promptly averted his eyes, not wanting to make eye-contact with her again.

Botan looked at him with her eyes shining. He was a truly good person when it came down to it. "Oh Hiei," She began but was cut off by her phone ringing. She dug through her purse, searching for the small pink cell phone. When she finally found it, she answered.

"…HE WHAT!?"

All eyes turned to the blue-haired girl and watched as she began to frown.

"Is he alright? …I'll be over there soon. Yeah, I know where that is. I'll see you there." Botan clicked the phone off and put it back in her purse.

"What is it?" Hiei asked and she locked eyes with him. They were so filled with worry and Hiei briefly wondered if she looked like that when he was missing in action.

"It's Koenma, he's in the hospital. I have to go, I'm sorry Hiei. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Go." He ordered. "With our current situation, you won't get anything done anyway."

She nodded. "I'll be back."

"There's no need," He reminded her.

"It doesn't matter, I'll still be back!" Botan yelled as she ran in the opposite direction. She couldn't return home in peace unless she knew the situation at Jaganshi Corp wasn't too serious, and she was sure Hiei would stay there until ungodly hours of the night, so she wouldn't be alone.

--

Botan walked into the room where Koenma was slowly. She peered over the bed and saw him lying there, unmoving. She waited to see his chest rise and fall, but there was still no movement.

"Koenma?" She stepped a bit closer and he remained unresponsive. She began to shake him lightly, trying to wake him up. "Please, please, you have to wake up! Don't die, Koenma!" She yelled dramatically as she hugged him.

In the middle of her hysterics, she felt him shaking and looked up to see he was laughing and snorting. "Don't die, Koenma! I can't live without you!" He snorted. "You're too much Botan."

Botan stiffened and stopped hugging him, straightening her posture immediately. By the time she had regained her composure he was still laughing at her emotional outburst. "Ahem."

"You're always good for a laugh, if anything!"

"Koenma…" She growled dangerously.

"I wish I recorded that!" He wiped a tear that had fallen.

"You jerk!" She punched him muttering about how inconsiderate he could be.

"Ow! Hey, don't beat up the sick!" He moaned as he nursed his head.

"Serves you right. I can't believe you would scare me like that." Botan huffed as she crossed her arms.

Koenma sighed. "Alright, alright. I apologize, Botan."

"Apology accepted!" She smiled brightly. "So… what happened?"

Koenma smiled, his brown eyes twinkling. He didn't want to make her worry. "It's just a small case of stress. I'll be fine and ready for work tomorrow morning."

"I told you to take it easy. Why don't you ever listen!" She scolded him sternly, concerned for his health.

"Don't worry about me… I'm alive aren't I?"

"I guess you're right but I can't help it, you're my best friend." She said softly.

"Look, I'm really sorry Botan. Stress is just a requirement of the job. This is my profession and it's a risk I've got to take," He reminded her sternly. "But I'll take better care of myself from now on."

"Thank you."

He nodded and then examined her carefully. "What happened to you? You look like you had a busy day."

Botan smiled sheepishly. "It's nothing… there was just… a small fire over at the job today. Barely noticeable!"

"A WHAT!?"

"Calm down, Koenma. Remember what got you in here in the first place," She told him. "From what I can tell, everyone got out safely and hopefully the damages won't be too bad."

"Right."

"So," Botan began, trying to lighten the mood. "Any new gossip?"

The two friends got caught up and after a few hours Koenma decided it was time for Botan to leave. He didn't want her to stay here for the whole day, she needed to rest.

"Uh, Botan?"

"Yes?" She stopped at the door and turned around to look at Koenma.

"Just tell Hiei to be careful. Things in the business world aren't looking too good, not even for someone as notorious as him."

"Will do, sleep tight, Koenma."

As she exited the room and rounded the corner she bumped into someone clumsily. "I'm so sorry! I wasn't even looking where I was… Yukina!"

"Oh, Botan!" Yukina put on a strained smile.

"You look absolutely drained, are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" Yukina said jovially, although clearly she was not. Her clothes and hair were disheveled and her eyes were red. It was clear the girl had been crying incessantly.

_Just like her brother, always insisting she's fine._ Botan nearly laughed at the thought. "I take it you're visiting your mother?"

"Yes." Yukina looked at Botan puzzled. "But how did you know that?" She was sure Hiei wouldn't tell Botan about such private affairs.

"Oops… I overheard it when I was at Hiei's place. I only came to visit my dog, but I ended up hearing your message on the answering machine. I'm sorry! I'll forget it, if you want me to."

"No, that's okay…" Yukina said. She could hardly believe that Botan was at Hiei's place, but then again it wasn't entirely impossible. Yukina had seen firsthand how Hiei acted around Botan. He warmed up to her in a way he never had with anyone else before. He was almost different, in a good way, when he was around her. Maybe she could… no, Yukina couldn't possibly ask Botan to do that.

But what other choice did she have? Maybe she was thinking crazy because all of the stress she had been put under recently with her mother, but she figured she might as well ask anyway.

"Botan," Yukina looked up to Botan pleadingly. She was desperate and time was running out, it was now or never. "Would you help me get Hiei to visit our mother? I'm sure that you can get Hiei to come. I've seen the way he interacts with you. It's almost as if he can't say no when it comes to you."

Botan gasped at Yukina's request, eyes widening. Could she really do that when she had already promised Hiei she wouldn't meddle in his life?

At her outburst, Yukina was brought back to reality. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked so much of you. Forgive me; it must be the stress talking." She tried to stop the tears that welled up, but it was futile. "I just don't have anyone else to turn to…"

Botan's heart softened and her resolve to stay out of Hiei's affairs broke. Promise or no promise, Yukina _needed_ her. "Of course I'll help you, Yukina. I promise I'll do my best."

"Thank you Botan!" She hugged the taller girl tightly, tears of happiness streaming down her face. "I knew I could count on you. You don't know how much this means to me. How much this will mean to my mother."

As they pulled away from the embrace, Botan's mouth moved on its own. "Why is Hiei so reluctant to visit his own mother?"

Yukina looked down at her feet as she spoke. "When we were both born, our mother was a single teen. She didn't have anyone to help or support her. Her parents wanted nothing to do with her and our father left the moment she told him she was pregnant. She hardly had enough money to support one child and when she learned we were twins, she had no choice but to abandon one."

"Hiei…" Botan muttered.

"That's right. She gave Hiei to an orphanage and kept me with her. When he was of legal age he finally found me. He held no ill-will towards me, but for some reason he would never come to visit our mother. When he learned of her sickness he decided to pay for the treatments. Even so, he still never came to visit once. I guess it hurt him deeply, to be abandoned by the one person who was supposed to love him the most. I can't imagine what he went through growing up, but his life was a hard one. I just want him to know that she loves him. I want him to see her at least once before it's too late."

"Is she…" Botan began gravely, not daring to finish her statement.

Yukina just nodded slowly.

--

When Botan returned to Jaganshi Corp, she found Hiei near the cafeteria. The fire originated there and repairs were being made since the time she had left. She hadn't expected things to start up so soon.

"So I take it everything is alright?" Botan's cheery voice cut through the silence as Hiei turned to look at her.

"For now. No casualties, the repairs will be finished soon, and nothing of importance was damaged."

"Glad to hear that, boss!" She grinned.

"How is he?" Hiei muttered.

"Hm?" She thought back and then realized who Hiei was taking about. "Oh, Koenma! He'll be fine! He just needs to take proper care of himself!"

"Hn. He always was a fool."

She ignored his comment and snapped her fingers. "Oh speaking of, he said to be careful. Things aren't looking good, not even for you, whatever that means."

Hiei actually seemed to contemplate Koenma's advice before he shrugged.

"Are you going to be alright? I'm a bit worried about Koenma's warning, to be honest." She professed.

She was always worrying about others and the attention she gave Hiei made him feel uneasy. All his life he was alone, he never had anyone genuinely care for him and the way Botan acted towards him caused him to feel things he never did before. He couldn't take it anymore, he was always in control. The fact that this one ditsy woman had such an affect on him was infuriating. "I know it's in your nature, but do me a favor and don't concern yourself with my affairs." Hiei said sternly, turning his gaze to hers. "I don't need it."

"I can't help it…" Botan looked away from him embarrassed. "I worry about you, a lot more than I care to admit. I just want things to go well for you." She stated truthfully.

"Things have never gone well for me. It's just the way life is," Hiei said, turning his back on her.

Botan looked at him sadly. She knew she was breaking the agreement between her and Hiei, which technically meant that he could look into her past, but screw it! Hiei's future was on the line, here! She couldn't let him go on living without meeting his mother and making amends. She would get him to see his mother no matter what. If Hiei's past was filled with misery and pain, she would make sure his future was filled with happiness. Botan had found her new mission.

--

Yay! So we get a glimpse into Hiei's past. I figured you guys waited long enough! Haha. And of course Botan found a new mission, it seems like she can't live peacefully without having one. Sorry if there's not enough H/B fluff, there'll be some next chapter. This chapter was more informational than anything. Thanks to all you read and/or review this story. I'm glad you guys like it. Hope ya liked this chapter too!


	11. Mother

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 11: Mother

--

All was good and well within Jaganshi Corp, and if a stranger walked into the building at this very moment, they would have never suspected a fire occurred yesterday. Hiei insisted on getting everything fixed as soon as possible, not being one to waste precious time. The damaged items were all replaced and Hiei had checked up on his employee who got injured; she was in perfect health.

"I thought we were going to get a few days off or something…" Shizuru said, clearly disappointed that she was at work. She looked up from her breakfast, directing her gaze onto Hiei. "You know, taking a never hurt anybody."

"Taking time off from work might actually kill Hiei," Kurama mused as he, too, looked over at Hiei.

Hiei remained silent, not caring what either of them had to say. Yukina had been calling him all morning concerning their mother and it was weighing heavily on his mind. She just didn't understand, he couldn't and he _wouldn't_ go visit their mother no matter what the circumstance. It was a promise he made to himself a long time and he'd be damned if he went back on it now.

Besides, Hiei had already accepted the fact that he had no parents; both of them wanted nothing to do with him. His father ran out on his mother and his mother abandoned him. Why should he burden himself now with thoughts of them or his abandonment?

"Well aren't you Mr. Talkative today?" Shizuru muttered before taking a bite out of her bagel.

Hiei continued to ignore her and anyone else that tried to interact with him. His thoughts lie elsewhere and for some reason he couldn't stop thinking about his mother.

"You could at least acknowledge the fact that I'm talking to you. It's the polite thing to do," Shizuru said in between bites, becoming increasingly angered by his indifference. Sure she was used to his personality, but he held her on higher regards than this. He was ignoring her in the same manner he did so often with Yusuke and Kuwabara!

Unbeknownst to Shizuru, Hiei had tuned everything out except his own thoughts. He found himself wondering what his mother would look like, how her voice would sound, and what she would say if he actually did go visit her. Would she apologize to him or would she try and make excuses for what she did? Would she be disappointed in what she saw or would she be overjoyed? It frustrated him to no end. He had already made up his mind not to see her so why was he imagining reuniting with her now? Since when did he become so damn fickle, he was starting to remind himself of…

An image of a certain blue-haired assistant popped into his head. He quickly shook the thought out of his head and he was drawn out of his thoughts by the sound of "the oafs'" coarse voice.

"Don't mind him sis, he's probably just day-dreaming about _Botan_ or something." Kuwabara sat down at the table with a tray full of food, Yusuke following suit. "She sits at her desk and spaces out just like that too. I wonder if my sweet Yukina is thinking about me at this very moment too," He mentioned with a goofy looking grin.

Hiei shot Kuwabara a menacing glare and stood up, ignoring the awful sound the chair made as it scraped against the floor. Without so much as a word, he left the table and made his way towards the exit. As long as he was far away from the idiocy that was Kuwabara, he would be fine. He just wasn't in the mood to put with anyone's antics this morning.

"Hey Hiei!" Botan waved at her boss, seemingly in high spirits. Her cheerful grin slowly faded into a pout as he brushed past her brusquely. She turned her head turned slowly and watched him exit the cafeteria without a word. "What's gotten into him?"

"Don't worry about Hiei; he's been acting like that with everyone this morning," Kurama offered as he pulled out a chair for Botan to sit on.

"I wonder why…" Botan sat down after thanking Kurama and setting her food down. She briefly pondered if it had anything to do with the situation concerning his mother, but lost her train of thought as soon as the others began chatting about the latest gossip.

--

Hiei had been locked up in his office ever since they finished breakfast and Botan was beginning to get anxious. She didn't even get the chance to persuade him to visit his mother, yet! She couldn't afford to waste time like this; tomorrow was not guaranteed for Hiei's bed-ridden mother.

With a resolute frame of mind she stood up. _I'll drag him to the hospital if I have to!_ She imagined herself towering over Hiei, pulling him by his legs as he clawed at the ground desperately, in search of anything he could hold on to. It was so absurd she had to force herself from chuckling. Gathering her wits, she marched over to his office but before her hand even reached the handle, a frustrated growl echoed inside the room.

"Damn it!"

Botan's eyes widened as she heard Hiei's footsteps advancing towards the door. Her face paled and she quickly ran back to her desk, losing her courage. She sat upright in her chair and put her hands on the keyboard, trying to make it look like she had been there all along.

As soon as Hiei exited his office he could feel Botan's eyes on him. He took notice of that bright smile plastered on her face and fought the urge to cringe. Why did she have to be so damn happy all the time?

"Hello there, Hiei!" She exclaimed, her voice laced with cheer. She examined him and noticed that frown he had all morning still hadn't disappeared. His eyes were what troubled Botan the most though. Whenever work bothered him it never caused him to act this way. His eyes were always guarded, no emotion ever leaking through its barriers, but today his crimson orbs looked clouded over with worry. Something was definitely bothering him and it was affecting him deeply.

But what could it be? He put up walls to keep others from detecting what he was truly feeling, so it must've been something serious if just about everyone was able to take notice of his troubled state of mind.

"Hn."

He didn't even spare her a glance as he went into Kurama's office and Botan sighed, shoulders drooping a bit. This was going to be a lot tougher than she thought.

--

After a few minutes Hiei exited Kurama's office looking less angry and re-entered his own office. This was it, now or never, the decisive moment. Botan would convince him before this day was over. She _had_ to.

Right before she reached the door, however, Shizuru pulled her away, hooking an arm with the blue-haired girl. Botan made a strangled noise and tried to regain her breath. In all her determination to reach Hiei she had not even realized Shizuru was in the vicinity.

"We have to talk," Shizuru said lifelessly.

"But… but I!" Botan whined as she motioned towards Hiei's door, her free arm outstretched towards the office.

"You two can suck face later, this is important," She urged in that same monotonous tone.

Botan groaned as she allowed the older woman to lead her wherever it was that she was trying to take her. They stopped in the copy room, and Shizuru scanned the area to make sure no one was there.

"So, what is it?" Botan asked impatiently, crossing her arms and tapping one foot impatiently against the tiled floor.

"I want you to be very quiet and you have to promise you won't overreact when I tell you this." Shizuru said in a hushed tone, her voice dry. Botan nodded and stayed silent, waiting for Shizuru to begin speaking.

"I'm pregnant," Shizuru started unenthusiastically, ignoring Botan's widening eyes. "With Kurama's child."

"WITH KURAMA'S-"

Shizuru immediately covered Botan's loud mouth immediately silencing her. "I told you to keep it down."

"Are you sure?"

Shizuru nodded. "All I have to do is read the instructions and pee on a little stick, Botan. I don't think it's that complicated."

"How could this be?"

Shizuru gave her a look and Botan continued. "Well, I know _how_ it happens, but how did you _let_ it happen?" Botan paced frantically back and forth in front of Shizuru. She began talking and seemed as though she would never stop. At this rate her face would end up matching her hair color, due to the lack of oxygen. She looked absurd, treading back and forth like a crazed woman, spewing all sorts of questions relentlessly. "This is unbelievable, and I thought you two were the most responsible ones out of this group! What are we going to do? Did you tell Kurama, yet? What was his reaction? Will he take responsibility? Are you keeping the baby? Do you think-"

Once again Shizuru's hand was placed over Botan's mouth. She looked towards the floor and her body shook, Botan presumed she was holding back her tears. Shizuru tried to keep a straight face on and forced herself to remain neutral. "H-he doesn't want anything to do with me or the…" Her voice quivered and she took a deep breath before continuing, "The baby."

"That's horrible! How could he be such a jerk?" Botan's eyes narrowed and she stomped her foot down on the ground. Her poor friend was distressed and Kurama didn't even care. Botan always thought of Shizuru as a strong woman, yet here she was at the end of her wits and on the verge of tears! It only angered her more. "I can't believe he would sleep with you one night and disown you the next!"

She tried to make sense of the situation and suddenly she stopped her pacing and snapped her fingers. "Bingo! I've got it!"

"Got what?"

Botan turned around to face Shizuru. "He seduced you, didn't he?" At Shizuru's silence Botan continued. "…With his silky red hair, exotic green eyes, intoxicating words, and charming smile! Yes that has to be it!" She nodded to herself, convinced that she was right. It was the only explanation! Shizuru was a smart woman; she wouldn't let something like this happen to her unless she was tricked!

"And he expects you to bear the weight of this problem alone? Not while I'm around. Don't you worry, you're like a sister to me! I won't let him get away with this. I'll give him a piece of my mind!" Botan began to walk away, feet stomping heavily on the floor as she muttered all sorts of negative things about Kurama. When she noticed Shizuru wasn't at her side, she stopped and turned around with a sheepish grin.

"Come on Shizuru, let's go get him… eh? Shizuru?" Her determined tone faded into complete and utter bewilderment when she saw Shizuru standing a few feet behind her. Her body wracked with sobs, her eyes were shut tightly, and the sound of strained whimpers escaped from her mouth. This was the first time Botan ever saw Shizuru showing such vulnerability and it made her want to cry. She walked back to the brunette timidly, wanting to comfort her friend and tell her everything would be alright, but upon closer inspection Botan found that Shizuru was not crying… but laughing!

Shizuru opened her eyes and saw Botan standing there, clearly disoriented. She froze and her laughter ceased as she realized she just got caught 'red handed.' Botan began muttering things incoherently, trying to make sense of what was going on. During her small episode of confusion, she heard the sound of faint laughter just around the corner. She stopped babbling and quickly walked over to the direction of the noise, her eyes narrowed. Just as she supected, she found Yusuke and Kuwabara holding their mouths in a vain attempt to stifle their chuckling on the other side of the corner.

"You guys…" Botan growled out clenching her fists at her sides.

One look at Botan's face and they both began to release the mirth they had been holding in for so long. By now Shizuru had caught up to them and decided it would be best if she played it cool and didn't taunt Botan anymore than she already had.

"What exactly is going on here?" Botan asked, trying to control the frustration in her voice. She glared at Yusuke and Kuwabara, fully well knowing when it came down to it, they were probably responsible for this.

"I lost a bet and these idiots decided as punishment I had to tell someone that I was impregnated by Kurama. I saw you down the hall and figured you'd be the best person to fool since you're so gullible and I'm a horrible actor."

Botan frowned upon hearing the 'gullible' statement Shizuru made and began to wallow in self pity. Upon hearing the rest of the account she jumped up, pointing a finger at Shizuru. "Horrible actor, my foot! You put on quite the performance! You were even on the verge of crying! You got all choked up and everything."

"I was on the verge of laughing and blowing up my cover," Shizuru admitted.

"Oh," She hung her head down, deflated once more. Looking back at it now, it was pretty obvious Shizuru was lying. She announced her pregnancy without a shred of emotion and Botan did find it a bit strange, but when she began to choke up with laughter (which Botan mistook it for sorrow) she gave Shizuru the benefit of the doubt.

Yusuke let out a contented sigh as his laughter died down, his chocolate brown eyes wide with exuberance. "That was priceless, Botan." He tried to mock her to the best of his abilities. "He seduced you with his sexy body and husky voice, didn't he?"

"I did _not_ say that!" Botan defended, a light blush spreading across her cheeks.

"I wish we let the joke run some more, though. I wanted to see Botan chew Kurama out!" Kuwabara complained and Yusuke nodded.

"You guys are horrible!" Botan exclaimed glaring at the trio. "I even said all those horrible things about Kurama and he was completely innocent," she added remorsefully.

Shizuru patted her shoulder softly. "Sorry if I scared you Botan, but thanks for the concern. It was really sweet."

Botan's features softened and she gave Shizuru a small smile. "Anytime! Just… don't ever scare me like that again."

The four of them walked back to their desks, Yusuke and Kuwabara letting out a little chuckle at Botan's expense every now and then. Botan was just happy that Shizuru was in fact joking and not really pregnant. She should've realized something was going on sooner, Kurama wasn't the type of guy to be so heartless and cold. If only she had stopped to think before she reacted, she probably wouldn't have made such a huge fool out of herself.

Oh well, what's done is done and now that that was over, she could focus on more important things like…

_When did that stack of papers get there?_ She looked at her desk and groaned. Hiei must've dropped them off while she was with Shizuru and the others. "Why me?!" She cried out, flopping down on her chair.

--

"I'm …finally… finished!" Botan let out exasperated. Work had been tedious today, first that prank with Shizuru, Yusuke, and Kuwabara, plus Hiei's attitude, and finally her new mission hanging in the back of her mind.

Now that all the paperwork was completed, she could finally accomplish what she had set out to do. Nothing would stop her this time! She couldn't afford to get distracted anymore. Someone's life was on the line, here!

Botan got up and stalked over to his office, her footsteps steady and slow.

_No more distractions. _

She stopped in front of the majestic doors, eyes narrowed and lips pursed.

_It's now or never._

Taking a deep breath she lifted her hand up to knock on the door.

_I won't back down._

Her fist inched forward slowly.

_I can do this!_

"Botan would you come in here for a moment?" Kurama was holding the door open, waiting for her to enter.

She resisted the urge to scream as she shrunk back from Hiei's door and nodded obediently. Slowly, she trudged over to Kurama's office, trying to hide the frustration from her face. Of course Kurama would choose to call her _now_, of all times.

_Oh no!_ Botan clasped a hand over her mouth as a frightening thought came to mind. Did he hear her badmouthing him when she thought Shizuru was pregnant?

She walked inside the office apprehensively, not daring to look Kurama in the eye. He closed the door behind her and began to speak. "This may be unprofessional, actually it's completely personal and lacks any level of professionalism, but even so, I-"

"-Oh, I'm so sorry Kurama! I didn't mean to say those mean things about you! It was Yusuke and Kuwabara's fault! They set Shizuru up, and she made me believe you impregnated her and shunned both her and the child! You can't honestly blame me for thinking ill of you, given the circumstances!"

At Kurama's quizzical stare, she scratched the back of her head. Clearly Kurama hadn't heard any stories of what happened earlier today and Botan had just unknowingly revealed everything to him. "That's not what you called me in here for, is it?" Her nervous laughter filled the room until Kurama decided to speak up.

He shook his head. "It is not."

She gulped. "S-so… what exactly is the reason?"

"It's concerning Hiei."

"Hiei?"

"Yes." As Kurama crossed his arms and stared at her intently, Botan fought the urge to shrink back. She felt as though he were cross-examining her. "I assume Yukina told you all about Hiei's past."

Botan blinked. How did he know all of this? Kuwabara always compared Kurama to a fox and now she knew why! He was just as cunning and intelligent as one. "Yes, but how did you-"

"Yukina informed me of her situation. She's been trying to get me to make amends between Hiei and his mother, but as you know, Hiei is stubborn. He wouldn't listen to anything I said concerning her."

She nodded, silently urging him to continue, all her attention on him.

"I know you're going to try and convince Hiei to see his mother, and I don't want you to get too discouraged. Hiei's had a tough life; the man you see today is a result of all that he's been through in the past," His voice was as calm and gentle as ever.

"What exactly happened to him?"

"I met Hiei when we were just teenagers. He had a bad attitude, a natural disregard for all rules, and above all else, a cynical outlook on life. There was nobody in this world that cared for him and he had nothing that he could truly call his own. He trusted no one and lived only for himself. He got kicked out of orphanages for starting trouble and fighting, and he never stayed anywhere longer than necessary. From what I understand his mother had a connection with a woman from an orphanage, named Rui. Hiei's notorious criminal record was outshined only by her standing, and she made sure time after time that Hiei always had a place to stay, somewhere."

Kurama paused for a moment allowing the information to sink in.

"Hiei often wandered out of the orphanages and spent most of his time on the streets. That's where I met him. He had wandered into my side of town and we became quick friends because we understood each other. Although he might have just seemed like a rebellious teen to others, I saw him for what he really was. He had this burning ambition inside of him that I'd never witnessed in anyone else before. I knew he would go far, so I stuck by his side. When he was of legal age he turned his whole life around and built up everything from seemingly nothing."

"I'm glad he got his happy ending." Botan admitted. "He has more than earned it."

Kurama shook his head. "His story has barely begun. He might seem like he's alright, but Hiei has some internal conflicts that he might never resolve."

"…What exactly do you mean?"

"He never felt like he belonged so he migrated from place to place. He never felt good enough so he built up this grand corporation, to convince the world of his worth. He grew up without love and so he shut his heart off and closed up his emotions. He deals with things in his own way because there was no one around to teach him otherwise."

"I had no idea he felt that way," Botan said solemnly.

"I don't think Hiei himself realizes it. He's become so used to living with a hardened heart that he can't see things the way you and I might see them."

Botan suddenly brightened up. "Well all that's about to change, I won't let Hiei feel alone anymore!"

"Really?" Kurama seemed more amused than curious. Did she honestly think she could handle someone as complex as Hiei?

She leaned in closer, excitedly. "Yeah! And the first step will be helping Hiei make amends with his mother. It seems to me like all his problems stem from his abandonment issues. If we could tackle that, I'm sure he'll slowly begin to see things in a different light."

"I'm certain he's already beginning to see things differently," Kurama revealed as he pointedly stared at Botan.

She raised a brow, not catching on. "Huh? You really think so?" Kurama remained silent as she continued with a wistful smile. "If he's already beginning to change then that's good news for us. I just want him to be happy. He deserves it."

"That's true," Kurama replied, his calculating eyes still on Botan. She didn't seem to notice that whenever she talked about Hiei her infatuation became evident all over her face. "But it is odd that you are so fervent in your belief that he deserves happiness. Doesn't he often mistreat you?"

"Even though he acts like a jerk most of the time and pushes people away…" Botan's face softened as she thought of all the times he had been there for her. "…It's clear that Hiei has a good soul. I just wish he would open up a bit more and let us into his heart. He never let's anyone know what's troubling him!"

"You worry about him a lot, don't you?" Kurama coaxed.

She nodded, becoming more and more absorbed into the conversation. "I find myself worrying about him more and more everyday. I'm always thinking about him and it's frustrating. Sometimes I just wish he would get out of my head- oops!" She covered her mouth, mortified that she just revealed that startling fact to Kurama. "I don't suppose you can forget what I just said, can you?"

"You've fallen for him," Kurama observed keenly. He didn't leave room in that statement for any dissent; he wasn't asking her if she liked Hiei, he was simply telling her like it is.

She shook her head rapidly, her ponytail bouncing. "What would give you that crazy idea, Kurama?" The denial of her attraction for Hiei was written all over her face and she looked around the room desperately for a distraction. "I-it must be all these plants in the room! They're sucking up all the oxygen and not leaving enough to travel to your brain! You should really remove some of them!" She exclaimed.

"Evidently your feelings for him go beyond the professional level," He teased.

"I would've done exactly the same for the rest of you. I swear!" She then crossed her arms huffing. "Excuse me for caring."

Kurama just chuckled in response.

"I'm serious!" She uncrossed her arms, both fists clenched at her sides.

He ceased his badgering, deciding to give her a break. "I won't keep you here any longer; you can go about your business now."

Botan turned to leave but stopped mid-step. "Wait… you didn't even ask me anything worthwhile. All you did was tell me about Hiei's past!"

"Trust me, Botan. I've got all the information I need to know," Kurama answered with a self-satisfied smile.

Figuring the redhead wouldn't elaborate farther, she took her leave. She couldn't believe he got her to spill her guts out like that. He really was a fox!

--

As Botan exited the office she found it ironic how easily she came across information concerning Hiei's past. Earlier in her search everyone had been so tight-lipped and secretive, but now when she had given up on learning about him, the information seemed to be leaking out of everyone's mouths. If only they had been this talkative in the past… but no! She couldn't think like that. What matters is that she got the information in the end, and it made her feel good, like she was one of the few privileged enough to know Hiei Jaganshi; the man behind the corporate title.

While she was walking back towards her desk, Hiei was coming out of his office. They both stopped in front of each other and Botan smiled. This was her chance; she wouldn't let it pass her by.

"Hiei, I've got to speak with you. It's important."

"It can wait," Hiei said as he attempted to side-step her and leave, but Botan was prepared. "I have business that I need to take care of."

"No," She replied sternly as she stepped closer to him, blocking his pathway. "It can't wait."

Hiei sighed. "Onna, I don't have time for you or your foolish little games."

"I'm not playing, Hiei. I'm completely serious." The somber look on her usually bright face convinced him that she was indeed serious.

He turned around and opened his office door without a word. She walked inside content with her small victory and he let the door slam shut behind him as he walked in after her.

"I'm giving you two minutes," He warned.

"Where should I begin…" Botan started as she put her index finger to her lips thoughtfully. Hiei glared at her threateningly and she decided to start from the beginning. "Well when I was at the hospital yesterday I ran into Yukina and…"

Hiei groaned, fully well knowing where this conversation was headed. "Didn't we agree on this already? I've made my position clear. I see no use in discussing this."

"You don't understand, Hiei! We don't want you to regret this when all is said and done. Yukina cares for you! She knows the pain you'll go through if you miss out on this chance! Can't you see how much she's hurting right now?"

"I don't need any guilt trips." Hiei looked away from her. "I've made my decision and I intend to stick to it."

"But why? Why can't you visit your mother at least once?"

"She…" Hiei stopped himself from saying anymore. He almost revealed too much.

"Yukina told me about your past. It's alright. You don't have to hide anything." She paused for a moment before going on. "You grew up without Yukina for most of your life and yet you let her into your world. Why can't you do the same for your mother? Why do you hold such resentment towards the woman who clearly loves you and wants to meet you?"

"Love?" Hiei spat out the word like it was venom, his voice raised louder than he intended. "You call handing over your child to complete strangers love?"

Hiei didn't even give Botan a chance to think up a counter-argument as he continued his tirade.

"Yukina had no choice in the matter! That woman chose to abandon me. There's a difference between losing your brother and giving up your son," Hiei paused, lowering his voice and controlling his emotions. "It doesn't matter to me if she lives or dies, she was dead to me the moment she chose to desert me," He said simply, as if his coldhearted statements were nothing but simple logic. He turned his back on her, silently cursing himself. He did not need Botan pushing these ideas and notions into his head. He could surely go on living his life without her, and he would.

Her eyes widened at his merciless view towards his mother, but then she remembered something. "That's not true! If you didn't care you wouldn't have paid for her treatments. You do care, Hiei, you just can't admit it." She took one step closer to him.

He shook his head, his back still turned to her. "I'm only prolonging Yukina's time with her beloved mother. It has nothing to do with my sympathy towards _her_," He grated out.

"You can twist it around anyway you want, but I can see the truth," Botan said calmly, keeping her emotions in check. She didn't know why, but suddenly she was remembering feelings and sentiments from her own past.

"Don't presume to know me, because you don't know a damn thing."

"I know you care," She insisted persistently. "All children care for their parents to some extent." Her eyes glazed over as bits and pieces of her past floated throughout her mind.

"I'm no longer a child, I've grown up." He turned back to face Botan, his harsh gaze boring into her own. "You should let go of your naïve fantasies and try it sometime."

She stared back at him, steadfastly. "And you should stop trying to fool yourself." Botan watched as Hiei's face twisted in agitation. Her resolve wasn't cracking at all.

"I'm growing tired of this. It's clear neither of us will back down, and I don't have all night to argue with you. If that's all you had to say, you might as well leave now," Hiei said warily.

She stood her ground. "I don't want you to live your life regretting this moment. I can't leave, Hiei. Not yet." _I won't let you make the same mistake I did._

"You might as well save your breath; your words will be in vain. I could care less about her." He stared at Botan, his expression hard. She was determined and so was he, determined to get her off his case. "If she died tomorrow I wouldn't feel one ounce of pity or pain."

Botan flinched, the coldness of his words giving her goose bumps. "Don't say that," She whispered softly, unable to believe he could hold such contempt for the woman that gave birth to him.

"But it's the truth," He continued, glad his words had some sort of effect on her once unwavering resolve. He moved closer to her and smirked cynically, his ruby eyes piercing her own. "I wouldn't feel a damn thing, that's just who I am."

"No it's not, Hiei you don't really feel that way!" She shook her head desperately, knowing he was just shutting himself from the true feelings he felt. She was beginning to feel choked up and hoped her emotions wouldn't get the best of her.

"You don't know how I feel. You will never understand, nor do I expect you to," Hiei insisted, a dangerous edge to his voice. He was losing his patience with her and he could feel his anger welling up inside of him.

At his statement tears sprung to her eyes. "I might not understand your situation clearly, but I do know what it's like to lose the last chance you have with someone dear to you." She nearly sobbed, trying to restrain herself, but it was no use, the memories kept on flooding back. "I never even got to say goodbye, but you still have a chance." Now the tears were flowing freely and Botan mentally berated herself for being so soft.

Hiei was taken back by Botan's tearful confession.

"You can tell her you love her, you can make amends… you still have time. Please, Hiei. Don't live your life regretting this decision, just as I've lived mine!"

She let out a gasp as she felt Hiei's arms wind around her waist and pull her into his strong embrace. Without a word he stood there, allowing Botan to let out all the tears and frustration she had been keeping in all these years. She took advantage of his rare kindness and continued to cry into his chest. For some reason, she couldn't stop herself. The emotion was just too much, it felt as though it would crush her, had Hiei not been there supporting her body with his own. It was the first time she had ever confided in anyone concerning her past. Although she hadn't said much, it was enough for now.

Hiei himself didn't know what came over him. She was crying and needed somebody to comfort her, and before he could even think, his body moved on auto-pilot. Undoubtedly she was speaking from experience when she urged Hiei to visit his mother and let go of hostilities, but instead he ignored her heart wrenching pleas, returning them with callous comments and excuses.

If only he had paid attention to the way she had been desperately trying to reach out to him, surely he would've seen the pain in her eyes and heard the strain in her voice, but he was too selfish to realize that. As usual, he was only thinking of himself.

Moments later her crying stopped and her soft whimpers lulled, but even so, Hiei still held on to her. Botan wished they could stay in this moment forever; he was the only one who ever made her feel so safe and secure.

"I have to go."

His words were so quiet, Botan wasn't even sure if her mind was just conjuring up its own fantasies to soothe her desires. Was he going to visit his mother like she suggested?

"…What?"

He finally let go of her. "I told you earlier I had urgent business. And now, thanks to you, I'm late."

She stared at him in disbelief, eyes still misty from crying. She really thought she got through to him. As they exited his office he stopped her before she could go towards her own desk. "Onna wait."

She looked up at him, expectantly.

"Whatever happened was in the past. Don't live in pain anymore. Only pathetic fools let the past get the best of them." He walked away before she could reply.

--

Throughout the meeting all Hiei could hear were Botan's words. She was still hurting from wounds of the past, and this is why Hiei decided he would never reopen his wounds by visiting his mother. He did not want to live like that. Going to see her now would only cause him to suffer. Why couldn't his sister understand?

Did Yukina somehow think that seeing his mother would automatically make everything okay? Would meeting up with her now, cancel out his abandonment, and erase the history, or lack thereof, with his mother? Botan certainly seemed to think so. But what did she know?

_Apparently a lot_, a small voice screamed in the back of Hiei's mind. She lost a parent, or possibly both: Hiei still wasn't clear on the whole matter, and is still affected by feelings of deep remorse. Could she possibly have ignored them on their deathbed just as Hiei was doing to his own mother?

Her tearstained face was something he didn't think he would ever forget. He never thought such a happy woman could contain so much pain locked away deep down.

Is this the same type of pain he was putting Yukina through by not visiting their mother? Did she think he would end up living in sorrow everyday, just as Botan had been?

Frustrated he stood up, causing everyone to stare at him. Kurama looked up at him waiting for an explanation.

"I'm leaving." He made his way over to the door, his hand on the doorknob.

"Mr. Jaganshi, the meeting isn't over yet," a member of the conference reminded him.

"It doesn't matter. Kurama can handle the rest." Hiei replied, turning the knob and making his exit.

Kurama nodded. "Well then, shall we continue?" Hiei finally looked like he had gotten some clarity. _Maybe Botan got through to him after all_, Kurama pondered with a smile.

--

When he arrived at the hospital, he was greeted with the sight of both Botan and Yukina chatting away in the waiting room. Botan's head was down, it looked as though she were delivering bad news. Not wanting either of them to see him, he turned around to leave. He knew all along it was a bad idea to visit his mother.

"Is that… Hiei?" Botan asked as she pointed to a figure clad in a black suit. She could hardly believe her eyes. She was beginning to accept the fact that she had failed Yukina, and in turn failed Hiei's mother, but there he was at the last minute. He always arrived when all hope seemed to be lost; he was always there when they needed him the most.

Yukina turned around swiftly and saw the familiar form of her brother. "Hiei!"

"Damn," Hiei muttered softly to himself as he turned back around to meet his sister.

Yukina hugged him tightly. "I can't believe it… Botan just finished telling me that she couldn't get through to you and here you are!"

Botan just smiled at him, unable to find the right words to say to him.

Hiei patted his sister on the back awkwardly, still not used to all this unnecessary physical contact. "What room is she in?"

"I'll take you to her." Yukina offered brightly, eyes wide with relief. Her mother would finally get her dying wish. She would see her son after all these lonely years.

"Well, would you look at the time, I better be going now!" Botan laughed jovially. "I'll see you at work tomorrow, Hiei. Goodbye Yukina!" She waved merrily, not wanting to intrude upon their family moment. Just knowing that her words had an effect upon him was good enough for her. Yukina waved back and Hiei just nodded as he watched her retreating form exit the building.

One day he would probably end up thanking that girl for butting into his life like this.

Yukina had led Hiei to their mother's hospital room. He stopped at the threshold of the door, preparing himself. Yukina took his hand in hers and brought him to their mother's bedside. Her eyes were closed and she looked so peaceful, lying there. She was pale and Hiei could tell she had lost a considerable amount of weight, but something about her was strong. She was a survivor.

"Mother… Hiei's here," Yukina said softly.

Hina's eyes fluttered open, only to reveal the same brilliant ruby colored orbs that Hiei and Yukina shared. Hiei was taken back by how beautiful she was. She looked just like Yukina.

"Hiei… my son, is it really you?" She murmured, reaching out a frail hand to him.

"Yes. It's me." He replied, his deep voice filling the entire room, making his mother smile.

"I'm so happy that I got to see you. Ever since you made contact with Yukina, I've found my own ways to keep you close to me." She motioned towards the table beside her that was filled with newspapers. He glanced at them and his eyes zoomed in on his own name. It seemed she had collected articles written about him and read them frequently. He stared at them in disbelief then looked back at his mother.

She put on a strained smile. "Don't look so shocked. Even though I gave you up, you never left my heart. There wasn't a day that passed by when I didn't worry about you…" She looked upwards trying to fight back the tears. "I'm so sorry, Hiei."

Yukina was crying now, the reality of it all overwhelming her. For the first time in over two decades her mother and brother were in the same room. They were finally a complete family.

"I should've been strong enough to support both of my children, but the truth is, I was weak back then. I was young and foolish, and the prospect of caring for and supporting twins was overwhelming. I didn't have the means or the help, but I can't use that as an excuse. I should've found a way to keep you with me so I could've seen you grow up into the fine man you are today. Letting go of you has been the biggest regret of my life."

Hiei remained silent and just listened to what she had to say. He never would've expected her to utter these words. He wasn't just cast aside without a second glance. His mother didn't feel like she had any other choice and she claimed she thought about him everyday since their separation. Could this be true?

"The only thing I was sure of, when I gave you to the orphanage, was that you were a survivor. I knew, deep down in my heart, that you would preserve. And look at you now, you've accomplished more than most people can even dream of. I'm so proud of you, Hiei. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I just want you to know how much I love you. I'm so sorry… I only wish I had more time to close the distance between us." She managed to take hold of Hiei's hand and squeeze it tight.

For the first time in his life, he realized he had never been alone. His mother had always been caring for him from a distance. He hadn't been abandoned because he was not worthy, but because he could live on. Truth be told, he would rather have Yukina live a sheltered and protected life, and if his childhood was the price he had to pay for that, then so be it.

"I'm so sorry, Hiei," His mother repeated, her guilt overtaking her.

"Stop wasting energy lamenting the past. What's done is done," Hiei advised harshly.

Yukina gasped at Hiei's starkness, while his mother just smiled sadly. She deserved this from him, it was her punishment, and she was foolish for thinking they could pick up from where they left off all those years ago.

"I'm here now… we can start over," Hiei finished quietly, closing his hand around his mother's.

She nodded slowly, her eyes wide and brimming over with tears. "Thank you, Hiei," Hina breathed out, finding it hard to believe she was blessed with such a compassionate son.

--

Awww. What a sentimental and long chapter. My longest one for this fic so far, I think. I bet you guys didn't expect Hiei to be so forgiving towards his mother, but hey, it played out nicely in my head. I'm sorry if it doesn't look that good on a webpage, okay? Hehe... So… yeah. Hiei reunited with his mother and now you know Hiei's story. You even got to see a smidge of Botan's history! Plus there was a bit of fluff! Aren't you guys lucky?! I'm so anxious to finish this fanfic… I mean I've left it incomplete for so long! I owe it to you guys!

Oh and guess what? Someone reviewed and said they aren't a H/B fan… but they're still reading the story. YES! How cool is that? Spread the Hiei/Botan love, everyone! … Okay I'll stop now.

I already have the next chapter planned out… I know you all have been dying for Mukuro to make her grand entrance… so she's coming back. Will Botan get jealous… I think so!


	12. Jealousy

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 12: Jealousy

--

Yusuke sighed as he loosened his tie, releasing his neck from its apparent death grip. The way things were going he'd never get his inheritance. Especially not when it involved doing something he was so good at slacking off with. Maybe if it had something to do with kicking people's asses he'd have a damn good shot at it, but that just wasn't the case.

This was the business world. Only cut-throat and manipulative people like Kurama and Hiei could survive in the large scale of things. He just was not cut out for this type of environment. He did not belong, and he knew that, but even so, he had to try and live up to his father's name. The old geezer obviously saw something in him; Yusuke just had to figure out what exactly it was.

He just finished going over some requirements regarding Raizen's goods with Kurama and on his way back to his own desk, he spotted Botan standing near Hiei's office doors, her ear pressed to the door cautiously.

He grinned wickedly as he watched the girl strain to listen to the events that played out on the other side of the door. And here he thought everyone's favorite assistant was a goody-two-shoe. As he stood there unnoticed, he realized he had either two- no make that _three_ options.

Number one: Walk away and act like he saw nothing. There were some days, believe it or not, when Yusuke actually chose to restrain himself and act mature. He was an adult and despite what others said, he had self-control, damn it! Today, unfortunately for Botan, was not one of those days.

Number two: Ruin her espionage. It would be pretty damn amusing to alert Hiei to Botan's actions, at least in Yusuke's mind anyway. She would probably start babbling on and making up excuses, in the same manner only she could do. Yusuke thought back to yesterday when she thought Shizuru was pregnant and smirked. Overreacting was definitely her forte.

Number three: Hop in on the fun. Whatever she was listening to on the other side of that door had to be of some importance, right? Then again, she could be doing something girlish and weird like listening to Hiei breathe. It was common knowledge that she liked him, after all. Who knew how far her infatuation went?

In the end, he chose the middle option because it had the most potential to bring him entertainment.

"Hey Botan!" He yelled loud enough so that the whole floor could hear. The assistant jumped at the sound of his raucous voice and quickly covered her mouth in an attempt to choke down the scream that threatened to escape her mouth. She turned slowly to see Yusuke standing behind her grinning and waving good-naturedly.

"Yusuke…" Botan all but growled out slowly as she clenched her fists.

"What are you spy-" Yusuke made a strangled noise as she quickly grabbed his arm and dragged him around the nearest corner. "Slow down, Botan… I need this arm!"

They stopped near the water-cooler and she let go of him, glaring.

"Hey!" Yusuke put up his hands in front of him defensively. "Don't give me that look. I was only saying hi!"

"Did you have to be so loud? You almost blew my cover!" Botan shrieked.

"Talk about loud." He grimaced at the sound of her voice and covered his precious ears. "Besides, I didn't realize spying was on your 'to do' list today." He remarked sarcastically as he looked down at the girl with a malevolent glint in his eyes.

"I was not spying!" The assistant replied crossing her arms haughtily, taking note of that wicked look on his face. Sometimes she secretly wondered if Yusuke was part demon or something. He enjoyed toying with her just as much as Hiei did. That's what they both were… naughty demons! And if she was talking about naughty, Kurama should be added on that list too! She still hadn't forgiven him for his cunningness yesterday.

Yusuke rolled his eyes. "Well then what would you call standing outside your boss' door trying listen in to his conversation, cause that pretty much sums up spying to me!"

"For your information, I was obtaining critical data…" She said smoothly.

"For who?" Yusuke questioned.

"Myself!" Botan finished glaring at Yusuke.

"You know," he put a hand around her shoulder and spoke in a low tone. "They say curiosity killed the cat…"

She put on her kitty face and mewled in response, nervously eyeing Yusuke.

"…But I say the cat died because it wasn't careful and curiosity was pinned with all the blame! So let's go do some spying, Botan!" The flabbergasted girl didn't even have any time to respond as he grabbed her wrist and led her down the hall.

"Wait, Yusuke!" She came to an abrupt halt, slowing him down to a full stop. She used her free hand to unclasp Yusuke's grip from her other wrist. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea after all. You shouldn't spy, it isn't right! Haven't you heard of privacy laws?"

"Breaking the rules is my favorite pastime, you should know that. Besides, who was the one crouched in front of Hiei's doors a few seconds ago?" He put his index finger to his chin in mock thought and then slowly pointed the finger in her direction. "Oh, that's right, it was _you_."

"Alright," Botan sighed. She eyed him cautiously and put her hands on her hips. "But we have to be quiet!"

Yusuke fought the urge to roll his eyes again. Of course they'd have to be quiet; that was the whole point of 'spying.' Sometimes, Botan gave dense a whole new meaning.

"So, what are we listening in on anyway?"

Botan's eyes avoided his gaze, looking up to the ceiling as if something interesting was painted up there. "Oh, it's nothing much. Actually, it's hardly worth your time, really!" She twiddled her thumbs innocently.

Now Yusuke knew she had to be listening to something good. Without waiting for her he stalked down the hall and pressed his ear to the door. So far all was silent. A few seconds later he faintly heard Hiei's distinct voice. There was some more silence and finally his ear caught someone else's voice. He strained to listen against the heavy doors. All he had to do was match a face to the low hum of the other person's voice. It sounded familiar enough. He heard a chuckle and his eyes widened.

"Mukuro!"

"Bingo!"

Yusuke looked up at Botan with a horrified expression. Oh hell, were they getting it on? Is that what she was listening to all this time? Was everyone's seemingly innocent blue-haired ditz really that naughty? Botan threw Yusuke a puzzled glance and quickly joined in on the spying.

All the absurd thoughts floating in Yusuke's head disappeared as he realized they were merely having a conversation; a really long one. In all the time he had been working here, he had become used to Mukuro's short visits. She was never one to overstay her welcome, and so whenever she came over she would state her business promptly and leave. This conversation, however, sounded nothing like business. In fact, it sounded like normal chitchat. And if they were just chatting, that meant they were actually being civil to each other.

But since when was Hiei social with Mukuro? That was just as illogical as Kurama trusting Yomi!

"What the hell is going on here?" Yusuke asked quietly.

"That's exactly what I want to know!"

As they continued to eavesdrop, Yusuke noticed Botan's once eager expression dissolving into a disheartened one. She looked like something was eating away at her and Yusuke bet it had something to do with Hiei and Mukuro. _So, Kuwabara was right. Botan's attraction to Hiei is more than just a passing crush._ He shook his head, women were so sensitive. Botan didn't honestly think Hiei would fall for Mukuro, did she? That sullen look on her face was more than enough to convince him.

When Botan finally came to she found Yusuke staring at her oddly. "What?"

"You just spaced out on me, is all," he answered.

"Sorry about that," she said sheepishly. "Were you saying something?"

"Yeah, I was in the middle of this well-thought out speech about how you shouldn't be jealous of Mukuro, but by the looks of it my speech fell on deaf ears," he lied.

Botan began to frown.

"Hey! Were you even listening to me?" Yusuke waved his hand in front of Botan's unresponsive face. "I said don't worry about it!"

She got up slowly and walked over to her own desk, ignoring Yusuke's words. He followed Botan to her desk, waiting for her to snap out of it. She must have liked Hiei a lot more than he originally thought if she would get so upset over something so trivial.

"I'm not jealous," she mumbled lowly, looking down at her desk rather than at Yusuke.

"Of course you aren't," Yusuke said soothingly, although clear traces of sarcasm remained in his tone. "But when you stop living in denial, come to me for advice. I'll help you."

"What?" She stared at him incredulously, both eyebrows raised. "You'll _help_ me?"

"Sure. I'll help you snag Hiei," the dark-haired man said smugly.

Her eyes widened and she quickly denied Yusuke's assumptions. "What makes you think I want that? He's my boss!"

"Oh please, you're as obvious as Kuwabara is gullible!" Yusuke accused.

Pure horror etched onto her face and she began to feel the blood rush to her cheeks. "Do you think he…" Botan began with a frown, not having the courage to complete her thought. Yusuke understand what she was trying to say clearly though.

"No way, Hiei's an emotional retard. He would never figure something like this out unless you told him outright."

He took one look at her troubled face and, although he would never admit it to anyone else, he was a bit worried for her. She was like a sister to him and the adverse affect Hiei had on her mind aggravated him. Sure, she wasn't the smartest or most subtle person he knew, but she had purest soul he had ever witnessed in anyone before. Seeing Botan so troubled didn't seem right, it just wasn't in her nature. He would break her out of her trance, though, and he had just the right tactic in mind.

Botan broke the silence first, looking at Yusuke through shifty eyes. "If we assume what you're saying is true- which, of course it isn't, and I do in fact have small crush on Hiei- which of course, I don't, what makes you think you can help me?"

He took a step closer as if he were relaying some sort of confidential information. "Because I know what Hiei likes."

"What Hiei likes?" She echoed, intrigued.

"He is a man after all." Yusuke leaned in closer to her with a lecherous grin on his face, lowering his voice. "Push-up bras, short skirts, low cut tops, hooker-heels, things like that. Just tell me your measurements and I can ever get them for-"

"You pervert!" Botan shrunk away from him, her cheeks flushed. "I can't believe you would even suggest something so utterly despicable!"

He chuckled. "There you go, now you're back to normal."

"Huh?"

"Don't space out on me anymore, okay?" Yusuke advised in a serious tone, his sincerity evident in his chocolate brown eyes. "Cheer up." He patted her head like a child before walking back to his own desk without a care in the world.

Botan watched as he walked away and a small smile appeared on her face. His perverted ways were actually good for something for once, and he even improved her mood. Originally, she felt uncomfortable when she realized just how long the meeting was lasting, and so she decided to listen in. It didn't seem like a big deal at first, but the more she listened the more her imaginative mind plagued her with disturbing thoughts. It was a good thing Yusuke interrupted her espionage, because images of Mukuro and Hiei's wedding were not helping her in the least bit. It no longer mattered if Hiei was locked in his office with Mukuro all this time. He wouldn't do anything with her… at least not here at work!

Botan sat down on her chair and let out a contented sigh. Hiei was probably just in a good mood because he cleared the air with his mother, she decided_._ Upon remembering such an important detail her smile brightened. She wished she could've seen the reunion, but it just wasn't her place. The most important thing was that Hiei, Yukina, and their mother were together again after so long.

But alas, she couldn't spend the whole day lost in her own thoughts. She looked around her desk and found that the small amount of paperwork that Hiei had given to her this morning still wasn't completed. _I guess I should stop procrastinating, _she thought as she looked through the papers slowly.

At that moment both Hiei and Mukuro stepped outside and Botan stood up. "Good afternoon, Mukuro!" She said cheerfully and Mukuro nodded in return.

"There's no need to walk me out, Hiei." Mukuro mentioned, but it was clear that she was happy with this development.

Hiei, as uncaring as ever, didn't even spare Botan a glance as he spoke to her. "I'll be back."

Botan's mouth hung open and she stared at the two retreating forms entering the elevator _together_. She remembered the time when Hiei walked her out and even made sure she got home safely. It was one of the best days she ever had, just because he extended some kindness to her, and now he was doing the same for Mukuro? It just wasn't right! The sheet of paper she was holding in her hand was now a crumpled mess. Her eyes widened in horror as she attempted to return it to its former unwrinkled glory.

As she smoothed down the creases on the paper, her ministrations began to slow down. That same dreadful feeling began to build up again and Botan almost found herself resenting Mukuro. In the past she could never remember experiencing like this before. Sure she might have envied someone here or there for a fleeting moment, but this was different. It was more intense and more permanent. She almost disliked Mukuro just for being on Hiei's good side today. It didn't make any sense; she was normally confident in her abilities and pleased with who she was, but today was the first time she ever felt such an overwhelming sense of insecurity. And because of this insecurity, she allowed herself to begrudge a guiltless woman. She did not like this feeling at all.

Botan shook her head. She couldn't allow herself to harbor any ill-will towards Mukuro. She had done no wrong, at least not to Botan. The only one she could blame right now was the object of her affections; it was all Hiei's fault! He was the one that was constantly running through her head all day long. He was the one that she worried about the most. He was the one she felt so strongly about. And he was the reason why she couldn't stand Mukuro right now.

"Darn him!"

"Did you say something, Botan?"

"Kurama! I didn't see you there…" She let out nervously as she scratched the back of her head. Kurama stood there awaiting a response. "I was just talking to myself. It's a bad habit, I know. Well I better get back to work!"

The redhead smiled and nodded, deciding to leave her alone for today. When he entered his office Botan let out a breath of relief and sat down. Ever since he got her to unconsciously admit her feelings for Hiei, she had been wary of him. She thought she was doing a pretty good job at hiding her feelings for Hiei, but clearly it wasn't just Kurama that could read her like an open book. Yusuke had noticed, too. It seemed her feelings were more transparent than she previously thought.

Botan sighed and turned to her computer with a pout, deciding it would be best to get to work and distract herself from her current situation.

--

Hiei was on the phone when Botan stormed through his office, an irritated look on her face. He wondered briefly what was wrong with her, but decided to let it go. It was not his problem and he did not care what happened to her, or at least that's what he tried to convince himself.

Ever since he came back from his meeting at another firm, she had been giving him the cold shoulder. Each time he stepped outside of his office for something he could have sworn she was glaring at him. When he turned his head in her direction she would look away, innocently. This little game was becoming tiring.

Now she stood there crossing her arms and holding a small stack of papers against her chest, while tapping her foot impatiently, apparently waiting for him to be finished. Ignoring her annoying thumping, he continued the conversation. When he said everything of importance, he ended the call and looked up to her from his seated position.

"Is there a problem?" He questioned, the frustration evident in his voice.

"No," she said sharply as she placed the documents on his desk a little too rough for his liking. "I just wanted to confirm that everything was correct and ask for my next assignment." There was no smile painted on her pink lips, no cheer in her voice, and her words were unusually straightforward and blunt.

Was she still holding resentment towards him because of yesterday's events? No, that couldn't be it. She was clearly happy with him when he showed up at the hospital. Something must have happened today to get her so riled up. This was the first time they were alone for the whole day, so it couldn't possibly be his fault. It must have been one of the idiots, he concluded.

_Then why the hell is she glaring at _me_ like that?_

He did not do anything to get on her bad side; at least he didn't think he did. Besides, after reconciling with his mother last night, he figured she would be eager to hear every detail. She failed to ask him about it yet.

But wait. He was Hiei Jaganshi, since when did he care how he offended one ditzy onna? That's right, he never cared. If she had a problem with him, she better damn well voice it out or keep it in, because either way, he did not care. That's all he had to tell himself, he didn't care.

But, if he truly didn't care, then why was he so aggravated? Damn it all.

He snapped back to reality when he noticed Botan's glare dissolving into a somewhat confused look on her face. He supposed it was because he was sitting there getting lost in his own thoughts and blatantly ignoring her.

After going over crucial information with her and giving her some instructions she nodded intently.

"I got it." Without so much as a glance back, she exited the office, leaving Hiei sorely disappointed for some reason.

His frustration increased tenfold when he realized her attitude towards him actually affected him to this degree. And make matters worse, he was completely innocent! If she thought she could act so disrespectful towards him, she had another thing coming. He slammed his hands on the desk and pushed himself up from his seated position. It looked like she had gotten too comfortable with him and forgotten what he was truly capable of. He would go remind her why so many people didn't even dare to look his way.

Before he could exit, however, Kurama entered his office, closing the door behind him.

"What do you want?" Hiei barked.

"I was going to go over the key-points of yesterday's meeting, but it seems as though something of more importance is occupying your thoughts," Kurama revealed smoothly, clearly unaffected by Hiei's callousness.

"It's nothing," he said flatly.

"Are you sure?" Kurama asked in that cautious tone of his.

Hiei sighed. This was Kurama he was dealing with; the two had no secrets between them and even if Hiei didn't tell him, Kurama would find a way to get the information one way or another. Moreover, his partner was more adept in the social aspects of life that Hiei was unfamiliar with.

"It's that damn onna," he admitted reluctantly. "She's acting different around me."

"Different?"

Hiei nodded. "As if I did something wrong."

"She's angry with you?" Kurama concluded and Hiei nodded. "Well, if that's the case her anger will die down. She's not one to hold grudges, you know that well enough."

Hiei shook his head. "This time it's different."

"Have you done anything to offend her, anything more upsetting than your usual banter?"

"No, I was holed up in my office with Mukuro for most of the day. I didn't even have the opportunity to insult her, yet."

Kurama smiled to himself and Hiei recognized that expression on his partner's face instantly. Of course, Kurama knew why Botan was acting so strange; he was skilled in the art of observing people.

"Well, what is it?" Hiei asked impatiently as he crossed his arms.

"You'll have to figure this one out on your own, Hiei." Kurama turned his back to Hiei. "I'll come back later and we can talk about the meeting then."

Hiei rolled his eyes at Kurama's back, though he couldn't bring himself to get angry over his partner's secrecy. He should have known the fox would be of no use to him. Rather than waste the rest of the day contemplating reasons as to why Botan would be mad, he decided to hear it from her first-hand. Unfortunately, he was only able to take one step before someone else stopped him from confronting his assistant.

"Hiei," Kuwabara began as he closed the door slowly behind him carefully. "I really have to talk to you."

"Didn't I ban you from entering my office?" Hiei gritted; his patience growing rather thin at the moment.

Kuwabara laughed, scratching the back of his head nervously. "You really meant that? I thought it was just a joke!"

"Of course I was serious. I only say what I mean," he replied sternly, shoving his clenched fists in his pockets to keep himself from strangling Kuwabara.

"Right, then…" Kuwabara said awkwardly and put his hands up defensively when he saw Hiei glaring at him. "I'll be out of your way soon, I promise. I just have to tell you something first…"

--

Botan exited Hiei's office and came face to face with Kurama, who was making his way towards the doors. She smiled at him and he smiled back as he walked through the open doors and closed it behind him.

As she sat down, she saw Yomi and Shura walking down the hall. Shura was bouncing with excitement, trying to keep up with his father's long strides. She got up quickly to inform Yomi that Kurama was in Hiei's office at the moment, and she would be happy to inform Kurama of his presence.

The man shook his head. "That's not necessary; in fact, you are the very reason for my visit today."

"Me?" Botan questioned and he nodded his head.

"I assume since Kurama is not here his office is unoccupied. Why don't we talk in there?" he offered.

Botan blinked slowly, unable to fathom why he would want to speak with her.

"O-okay."

Before she left, she made sure Shura was comfortable at her desk and gave him some candy to tide him over. "Be a good boy now!" she urged and Shura nodded.

Turning her attentions back to Yomi she took a deep breath and walked over to him. Botan had no clue as to why he would want to talk to her; they never exchanged more than a pleasant greeting, and to be honest, she always had a bad feeling whenever he was around. Something about Yomi made her feel uneasy. Her footsteps were unnecessarily slow, as if she was trying to push of their meeting for as long as possible.

"I'm sorry if I came without giving you a warning," he offered politely and Botan quickly pushed aside those negative thoughts, figuring she was just being paranoid. He was a perfectly well-mannered man and there was absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

She beamed. "It's not a problem at all!"

As she led him to Kurama's office, her eyes caught sight of Shizuru and Yusuke, who were both near Shizuru's desk, whispering about something. Yomi took the lead, seemingly knowing his way around due to his countless visits. Botan closed the door behind her, ensuring that no one else would be able to listen in on their private conversation.

"Pardon me for being hasty, but why exactly did you want to see me?"

"Don't be so nervous, Botan. We've known each other for quiet a while, after all." Yomi smiled.

"Excuse me?" She asked faintly.

"Blue hair, candy-colored eyes," he began as his small smile twisted into a smug smirk. "You are that same little girl, aren't you?"

Botan took a wary step backwards. "How… how did you…" She couldn't even get any words out. He wasn't making any sense at all and he was beginning to frighten her.

"I wasn't always blind. An unfortunate accident took my sight away, but my memory is still intact." He advanced towards her, and at that moment Botan froze, his words wrapping around her body, immobilizing her. "I remember you during my frequent visits to meet with your father."

"Please, stop. I don't want to hear anymore," Botan pleaded quietly, her voice holding no authority over him.

"It must have been very painful for you, wasn't it? To lose everything…" He feigned pity although his malicious smirk gave away his true intentions. She turned her head to the side unable to look at him anymore, but it seemed Yomi had already sensed her intentions. He put a cold hand to her chin, directing her face towards his, ensuring that her attention was on him and his words only.

"Why…" Botan began desperately, the words getting lost in her throat, choking her. She felt goose bumps rise on her skin and she wanted nothing more than to smack away his hand and escape from this hellish nightmare, but she was paralyzed with fear.

"When you think about it, I'm doing you a favor." Yomi lowered his voice to a faint whisper, his words cutting through the silence like a knife. "You can't runaway from the past forever."

--

Kurama came out of Hiei's office only to be met face to face with Kuwabara. He looked nervous and Kurama found it odd that Kuwabara would even attempt to enter Hiei's office. "Is something the matter, Kuwabara?"

The taller man visibly stiffened at the sight of Kurama and began to laugh nervously. "Why would you ask such a silly question, Kurama?" He began to laugh some more.

Kuwabara saw Kurama's expression shifting into a more calculating one and immediately stopped laughing. "You shouldn't worry about things so much, it's probably not good for your health. You might even start getting gray hairs, you wouldn't want that, would ya, Kurama?"

"No, I wouldn't," Kurama mused, the intensity of his gaze beginning to intimidate Kuwabara.

"Everything is _fine_!" He said, louder than he intended to, and slipped through Hiei's office doors before Kurama could get a word out.

The redhead sighed, momentarily wondering what it was that had Kuwabara so jumpy but that fleeting thought was quickly replaced by more urgent matters. When Kuwabara moved from his eyesight, Kurama got a clear view of Shura sitting comfortably in Botan's seat. His emerald eyes immediately scanned the area for Yomi and when the tycoon was nowhere to be found he walked over to Shizuru and Yusuke.

"Yomi's here?"

Shizuru nodded. "He's with Botan in your office. I thought it was kind of strange, but I figured either you or Hiei instructed her to give Yomi information or something."

"Botan is in there with Yomi?" Kurama asked as both Yusuke and Shizuru nodded. "Alone?" He questioned, his voice alarming the both of them. They both nodded slowly and he suddenly became very troubled, more so because he figured out who exactly Botan was.

Without giving them a reason, he stalked over to his office. Yusuke went to follow but Shizuru stopped him.

"What are you doing, Botan could be in trouble!" Yusuke exclaimed as he tried to pry Shizuru's arm from his shoulder.

"Let Kurama handle it, she'll be okay with him. I don't know why, but I just have this feeling…" Yusuke looked into her brown eyes and saw that she was serious. "It's not our place to interfere."

Yusuke sighed, the tension building up inside of him vanishing. "Alright, but if anything happens to her…" he warned as Shizuru nodded.

"I know."

--

Kurama used all the restraint he could to prevent himself from flinging the doors open, his actions going unnoticed by both Botan and Yomi. Botan was frozen stiff, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes and Yomi just stood there with an arrogant expression on his normally passive face.

"Get away from her!" Kurama warned as he stepped in between the two of them, releasing Yomi's hand from her face.

"How nice of you to join us Kurama," Yomi said pleasantly, his voice along with his words as superficial as always.

"Get out." Kurama demanded in a dangerously low voice.

Yomi laughed. "No need to be rude, especially not in the presence of a lady. Surely by now you know who she is, don't you?"

"Of course I do, and that is exactly why I do not want you coming around her any longer," Kurama replied, his green eyes glaring at the taller man. "Leave her out of your destructive schemes."

Botan gasped at Kurama's admittance, his words pulling her out of her shocked state. She looked at Kurama with a pained expression and Kurama avoided her gaze. He knew? All this time he knew and he didn't even bother to tell her?

"You know all too well how far I will go in my quest for power and influence. It was so very thoughtful of both you and Hiei to gather together under one roof the son of Raizen and the daughter of-"

"Shut up," Kurama ordered as he opened the doors for Yomi to exit. Even though Yomi could not see it, Botan was sure he could feel the coldness of Kurama's glare. "You will not use them to achieve your goals, I won't allow it. Now go."

"I will be back," he promised as he exited with a smirk.

Kurama closed the door behind Yomi and looked over Botan once; although she was clearly distraught, she didn't seem physically harmed, which was always a good thing. He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at her square in the eye. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

She shook her head, swallowing hard. "But what does he want with me?"

"Think," Kurama urged, releasing her shoulder from his grip. "What is the one thing that you and Yusuke have in common?"

She thought carefully. She wasn't like Yusuke at all! He was a perverted, mischievous trouble-maker. They both worked at Jaganshi Corp. They both had rich pare- that was it! They had money.

Upon her recognition, Kurama continued. "Yomi wants it, and he will do anything to have it."

"But why? He's got enough to last him for an eternity!" Botan cried.

"Greed can do that to a person," He stated simply.

Botan remained silent for a moment then spoke up. "You knew who I was…"

At the nod of his head, Botan frowned, her eyebrows furrowed. Her feelings were one thing, she had already come to terms with the fact that she was not the least bit subtle when it came to her emotions, but her identity was an entirely different story. She felt as though she could do nothing right, lately.

"When…" Botan looked up at Kurama hesitantly. "…when did you find out?"

"It was very recently, actually." He noticed that she was waiting for a full on explanation and continued. "When Yusuke revealed that he was the heir of Raizen and Kuwabara asked you if you were wealthy too, everything just clicked."

"I see…" Botan said regretfully, her brows furrowed with worry. She really hoped no one would find out, she didn't want to be treated differently just because of something as silly as money.

"You don't have to worry." Kurama smiled reassuringly. "I won't tell anyone, not even Hiei."

"Really? You promise?" Botan brightened immediately at the prospect of her secret being kept, and by Kurama of all people. No one would be able to get any answers out of him.

"I promise."

Botan squealed joyously and hugged him tightly, unable to contain herself. "Thank you Kurama! You're the best!"

Kurama's stiffened reaction made it clear that he never had an employee hug him before. He patted her on the back slowly, unsure of what to do. "No need to thank me."

--

Hiei, oblivious to all that had just occurred, could not believe his ears. Kurama had impregnated Shizuru and now disowned both her and the baby? Surely this was pure bullshit concocted by the oaf and his partner in crime. His partner was not that type of man. Granted in the past Kurama was more cut-throat, calculating, and coldhearted than he is now, he had softened over the years. He had more honor than that.

And Shizuru seemed more sensible than that. Hiei had previously thought she had a good head on her shoulders, although he never told her that out loud, and was more responsible than most females her age. Something was seriously wrong.

It was clear that they had some sort of attraction towards each other, even Hiei knew that much. Maybe this was the result of all that pent up sexual frustration. Could it have been a one-night stand, perhaps? A mistake? Even so, Hiei knew Kurama, and his closest friend would never do that.

Still, his mind was uneasy. Normally he would ignore anything either Kuwabara or Yusuke said, but this situation was different. Yesterday, after he had placed a considerable amount of papers on Botan's desk and was on his way out of the building, he overheard Botan yelling something about Kurama and Shizuru. He was on his way to the elevator when he happened to glance upon saw Shizuru and Botan. Shizuru was avoiding Botan's gaze and Botan was downright furious, spewing some nonsense about Kurama seducing Shizuru. He paid no attention to her ranting yesterday the same way he disregarded most things that came out of her loudmouth, but today it all made sense.

Hiei walked out of his office to clear this whole mess up, he could no longer sit their contemplating the verity of Kuwabara's statements; he had to know now. He saw Shizuru and Yusuke looking over at Kurama's office fearfully. Wondering what the hell could be going on in there, he opened up the doors, only to be greeted with a view of Botan hugging Kurama tightly. She let go of him quickly with a guilty look on her face, as though she had been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing.

"Hiei! How long have you been standing there?" Botan asked clearly embarrassed.

He ignored her, putting all the pieces together. So this is why Yusuke and Shizuru were looking towards Kurama's office like this. Did the onna have no shame at all, pushing up on the man who she badmouthed so resolutely yesterday? And Kurama was no better; switching between employees from one day to the next.

Kuwabara entered the office next, preventing Hiei from speaking out. All eyes turned to him as he pleaded desperately.

"Hiei, don't kill Kurama, I'm begging you!"

"Why would Hiei do that?" Botan questioned as her eyes shifted from Hiei to Kurama and back to Kuwabara, extremely confused.

"That thing I just told you… it was a lie. Yusuke made me do it! Please don't fire me!" Kuwabara got down on his knees and clasped his hands desperately and Hiei looked down at the pleading man, resisting the urge to smirk. At least he knew his place.

"Don't be foolish, I didn't believe any of your claims to begin with." Hiei lied, angry with himself for getting caught up in their antics. Botan must have fallen for their underhanded tactics yesterday and he simply misunderstood the whole situation. The odds were stacked against Kurama, but even so, he should have been able to seen through the apparent lie.

"Thank you, Hiei!" Kuwabara stood up grinning. "Oh and if you talk to Yukina sometime today, tell her I said hi! I haven't seen her around lately!"

Hiei snarled but before he could admonish Kuwabara for even attempting to ask such an outrageous request, the taller man had already slipped out of the office and the trio could hear his muffled cries of gratitude to any and every god he could think of for catching Hiei's good graces.

"Did you need something?" Kurama looked towards Hiei.

"Hn," he grunted as he scowled at Botan and Kurama before he too took his leave.

"What's wrong with him?" Botan asked as she pointed a finger in the direction where Hiei was previously standing.

"It looks as though he's got the same problem you had this morning," Kurama muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"I was merely talking to myself, old habits die hard," Kurama confessed with a smile and Botan realized he was recycling her words from this morning. "It seems your cold treatment towards Hiei is having a somewhat troubling affect on him. Whatever he did to upset you surely wasn't that bad, was it?"

Botan looked down and sighed, suddenly feeling guilty. "Oh, it's not Hiei's fault at all! I just have some issues that I need to work out. I probably should go and apologize."

"Then you go ahead and do that."

"Alright, I will!" She exclaimed determinedly as she walked towards the door and stopped, glancing back at him solemnly. "Oh and thank you, Kurama. If you didn't show up, I don't know what I would've done."

Kurama nodded, his sympathetic eyes never leaving her gaze until she turned around and exited.

--

Hiei was pissed. That image of Botan and Kurama was on replay in his mind, tormenting him endlessly. Why was it that whenever Botan showed any interest in another male he became angered? It started off with the way she droned on and on about Koenma and now that same irritating feeling came back when he found her hugging Kurama.

In reality, he shouldn't care who she chose to interact with. She was just his assistant, that's all. In a perfect world, she could be involved with every male he knew and Hiei wouldn't dwell on it. But it wasn't a perfect world, and he couldn't stop himself from thinking about Botan and her ridiculous idiosyncrasies.

Could it be that he actually cared about her? In all his life Hiei had never experienced any feelings of the romantic kind for any woman and he never thought he would, but as much as he hated to admit it, Botan was slowly worming her way into his heart like some kind of damn disease.

She was just _one_ onna; he had so many others at his disposal, and he couldn't understand why she was the only one to hold such power over him. Deep down he knew the answer already: it was because she was unlike any of those girls who threw themselves at him. She had virtue and purity, she genuinely cared for others well-being, she tried so hard to make others happy, and she didn't have a mean bone in her body. All those things drew him to her and the more attention she gave him, the more he found her presence hard to resist.

He was a practical man and looked at the facts only. Right now, all the facts led to the same conclusion; he was attracted to his assistant. If this startling conclusion was, in fact, true, then this building frustration he was feeling was none other than jealousy. He was jealous of Botan and Kurama. Hiei quickly pressed a hand to his forehead to make sure he wasn't sick and delusional.

"Damn it," he groaned.

His temperature was normal.

--

The rest of the day Botan devoted to completing her duties. She didn't have the chance to apologize yet because Hiei seemed to be ignoring her. Botan wasn't disheartened by this though; it actually made her feel a lot less guilty for the way cold way she had treated Hiei earlier. Now they were even. By the time she finished all her work that sun had set and it was dark outside. She let out a small yawn and stood up, stretching out her lethargic limbs. With an impish grin on her face she made her way over to Hiei's office.

"Guess who!" Botan chimed as she knocked on his office door.

"Baka onna," he answered flatly from the other side.

"Bingo!" Botan grinned and then slowly stopped as she realized what he said. "Hey! That's no way to refer to your faithful assistant."

He didn't answer and she frowned.

"Hiei, will you please open the door?"

"No."

"Please!"

"No!"

She pouted and just when all hope was lost, Kurama came out of his office. Her eyes lit up and she motioned for him to come over with one hand and pressed her index finger from the other to her lips, urging him not to say a word. He walked over to her and remained silent, waiting for her to reveal her request. She then pointed to the door and clasped her hands together as she looked at him pleadingly.

Kurama raised a brow at her and she put her kitty face on, trying her best to imitate a pouting and helpless kitten. His features softened at her antics and he nodded his head, agreeing to help her. She almost squealed out of pure joy, but quickly clamped her hand down on her mouth. He opened the large mahogany doors with ease, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Hiei, it seems a stray kitten has wandered over to your office."

"Meow!" she mewled as she raised a fisted hand near her face.

He groaned and Kurama let out a chuckle as he exited the room. Hiei muttered something about locking his doors next time and looked up at Botan from his seated position.

"What is it?"

"I finished all my work," Botan said merrily. "It was quite the load, today!"

"Good," he answered his eyes wandering on the computer screen and Botan frowned, figuring that was the closest she would get to a compliment from him.

She stepped closer to his desk, hesitantly. "Hiei…"

"What is it?"

"Well…" she twiddled her thumbs tentatively. As she began to speak her eyes drifted away from Hiei's form, unable to look at him. "I realize my behavior this morning was completely unprofessional and I for that I'm …"

Botan stopped talking and twitched. Her apology was intermingled with the sounds of loud keystrokes and mouse clicks. She looked back at Hiei only to find he wasn't even paying attention and she put a hand on her hip.

"Would you at least look at me? I'm trying to apologize!"

Hiei rolled his eyes as stood up from his computer and walked over to Botan, crossing his arms indignantly. "Hn. I don't need any apologizes from you. What you choose to do with Kurama does not concern me."

"I wasn't apologizing for that…" She tilted her head to the side in confusion and then suddenly her eyes widened, the realization suddenly dawning on her. "…wait, is that the reason why you were acting so cold to me before?"

Hiei turned his head to the right, avoiding her gaze with a scowl. His silence was all she needed to hear.

"Oh Hiei!" Botan gasped. "You know I have a bad tendency of overstepping my boundaries with people! You don't have to worry, there's nothing going on between us!"

"And why the hell would that worry me?" Hiei rebuked, although his emotions indicated otherwise. In actuality, her statement brought about a sense of relief for him.

"I know relationships between co-workers can be a real hassle for others," Botan claimed sensibly and Hiei looked at her incredulously as he wondered if she really was that dense. He could hardly believe that she thought his anger was directed towards the fact that their relationship had the potential to affect their efficiency. He slapped a hand over his disgruntled face and let out a small sigh. In any case it worked out to his advantage. When he came to, he realized she was still talking.

"But you don't have to worry; Kurama and I are just friends!" Botan finished with a smile.

"You can be a real fool sometimes," Hiei muttered into his hand.

"Unless…" Suddenly her grin became more mischievous and her eyes narrowed. "You're jealous!" Of course Hiei wasn't jealous, Botan reminded herself, but still it was fun to tease him about it.

Hiei faltered. Did her IQ suddenly rise in the span of a few seconds? "I am not."

"I think you are!" She sang with a foolish grin on her face as she advanced closer to him. "Would you like a hug too? I'd be more than happy to give you one!"

"No, I think I'll survive," Hiei said sarcastically.

She moved even closer, her hands outstretched. Botan took notice of Hiei's apparent discomfort and forced herself not to laugh. For once, she had the upper-hand! "Come on, don't be shy Hiei!"

"Keep your distance, onna!" He warned as he took a step back. Hiei never backed down from any challenge and when he realized he was avoiding her like a frightened child, he stood his ground, eyes narrowed. Grabbing both of her wrists, he pulled her closer to him and the tides changed. He was the one smirking wickedly now.

"They have sexual harassment laws against things like this, you know," he mocked Botan's earlier words, the intensity of his ruby eyes making her want to melt.

She nodded slowly, feeling both frightened and excited at the same time. "So if you would just let me go…"

"Is that what you truly wish?" Hiei taunted as he pressed her a little closer to him. "Do you want me to stop?"

Botan found it hard to breathe now, he was so close and in all honesty, she did not want him to stop. "I…"

"It doesn't matter. I couldn't even if I wanted to," Hiei admitted out loud as he made a move to close the distance between them.

Botan stood there, unable to budge when he held her so firmly. She doubted she would shrink away even if he didn't have a hold on her and before she even realized it, her eyes were locked onto his lips and she too was moving forward to meet him. As his lips claimed her own, she tensed up at first, unsure of what to do. Moments passed and as his mouth melded into her own so gently, her shoulders relaxed and her amethyst eyes automatically closed shut.

Hiei was holding back, afraid to lose control completely as he willed himself not to go too far with her, but soon enough his resolve started to shatter. Her lips were too intoxicating and she gave him complete dominance over the kiss, which only fueled his desires further. He found himself wondering how soft her skin would feel against his. He needed more and the way he was holding her right now was not optimal to his needs. He let go of her wrists and quickly snaked his arms around her waist. Botan didn't seem to mind and she latched her arms around his neck, signaling to him that whatever happened from this point forward was consensual. He started moving his lips against hers with more urgency, overwhelming her senses with nothing but him. He gradually added more pressure to the kiss as his arm, no longer content with being stationary, began to roam over her torso, hiking her shirt up slowly.

Suddenly the phone rang and Hiei growled against her lips, stopping his actions immediately. Botan watched as he walked over to his desk and picked up the phone, trying to hide the regret from her face.

"What?" He snarled and his ruby eyes widened, immediately regretting his callous tone. "Yukina?"

Botan smiled at the way his voice softened whenever he was talking to his sister, but the smile was quickly erased by the troubled look on his face.

"Alright. I'm on my way." Hiei hung up and looked back at Botan. "I have to go."

She followed him out the door frowning, all thoughts of their previous actions quickly fleeing from her mind. "Is your mother alright?"

Hiei paused before answering, closing his office door and locking it after Botan had exited. Her attention was on him and he forced himself to lie, figuring she should not be burdened by his personal affairs. "She's fine. I said I would visit today."

"Oh, okay," Botan said reluctantly. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, then."

He nodded and began to walk down the hall. Botan watched as he halted and turned around to face her once again. She stood there eagerly, waiting for him to say something, anything at all. He was silent for a while as he watched her, preparing himself to speak and Botan suddenly found herself feeling very self-conscious. His gaze always did that to her.

"Thank you," he said slowly, as if it were his first time ever uttering the foreign phrase and Botan's eyes widened. "If it weren't for your persistent badgering, I never would have known the truth."

She smiled at his confession, her eyes twinkling. "Anytime!"

Botan watched his retreating form and the smile that was so bright a few seconds ago slowly vanished from her face. For some reason, as she watched Hiei walk away from her, she couldn't shake that horrible feeling she had about the events that were to come.

--

Phew, I'm done! This was one looong chapter! I couldn't find a good place to cut it! You're probably disappointed that it was Kurama to the rescue, rather than Hiei! I was originally going to have Hiei come save her, but it made more sense for Kurama to, seeing as he knows who Botan is. Hopefully the kiss made up for it. Hiei's getting a little frisky, isn't he? Well that's just about all the action he'll get cause I don't do lemons! Haha. Next chapter will have some more drama in it. Hope you liked this one. As always, thanks for reading!


	13. Troubles Arise

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 13: Troubles Arise

--

The next day, Hiei was absent from work. Botan was worried; he usually never took any days off, unless he was so sick that he could barely stand. At the first glimpse of Kurama's red hair walking down the hallway, she jumped from her seat and walked over to him.

"Is Hiei alright?"

Kurama looked at her with sympathetic eyes and directed her to his office. Her frown deepened when he closed the door and began to speak.

"There's no easy way to say this…" Kurama started and that horrible feeling she had been experiencing when Hiei left her last night returned.

She looked at him with pleading eyes. "Please, just say it, Kurama."

"Hiei's mother passed away last night."

Her eyes widened and the room remained silent for a while. Kurama's words replayed over and over in her head and she pursed her lips together, unsure of what to say. She swallowed hard and looked up at Kurama. "I… can't believe it."

"She has been suffering for quite some time now, perhaps it was time for her to get some well deserved rest," Kurama said sympathetically. It was the honest truth. Hiei's mother had been suffering for far too long, and he was sure he would never want his mother to go through such painfully long days. Her absence would hurt, of course, but knowing she was no longer in pain would help console him. If her release from pain meant he would have to suffer, then so be it. Kurama only hoped Hiei would take the same view.

Botan nodded slowly. "You're right."

"Hiei's strong… he'll be okay."

"I know he will," Botan said with a sad smile. "I just wish they had more time together."

--

Hiei was with Yukina in his apartment. They were sitting on the bed in the guest-room, where she was currently staying, and she was latched onto him. She was crying… it seemed as though she hadn't stopped crying since last night. Her sobs were heart wrenching and filled with so much pain. Although his sister was kind and gentle, she never was one to cry easily. He remembered her telling him she used to cry a lot, but after a certain point in her life, she decided to toughen up and resolved to never let situations and people make her cry. She was a strong person and the sight of such a broken young woman only increased that painful feeling in his own heart.

She was clinging onto him and kept rejecting any thoughts of their mother's death. Hiei had long given up on correcting her; he just let her cry on him. He briefly wondered how long she would go on weeping for. Maybe she was crying for the both of them, since his stone-cold heart was incapable of letting him. He really was a horrible son if he couldn't even shed a tear at the expense of his own mother.

He began to think of their mother laying there on the bed looking extremely weak and frail. Maybe this was best. She was probably tired of living in sickness and now that pain was gone. Was she in a better place now or did she just simply cease to exist? Hiei himself wasn't sure; he never gave much thought to death and the possibility of an afterlife.

Then again, he never gave much thought to anything that concerned her up until now. What was she like when she was healthy and lively? What sorts of things did she enjoy doing? What made her smile?

He never knew and he would never get the chance to find out firsthand from her. She was his mother and he knew absolutely nothing about her. He would never hear that sweet voice or witness her sad smile anymore. He never even got to tell her how he truly felt about her.

She was gone, forever.

His eyes widened when he felt something warm and slick run down his cheek. He absentmindedly put and hand to his cheek and stared at it in shock.

He was crying.

--

Kurama walked up to Botan's cubicle holding a manila folder in his hand. "Would you mind going over to Hiei's and bringing this to him?"

"Me?" Botan pointed to herself hesitantly.

"You are his assistant, aren't you?"

"Yes, but I figured you would go. You two are childhood friends aren't you?"

Kurama nodded. "Of course I will stop by later tonight, right now I have some urgent matters to attend to."

Botan stared at him oddly. What could be more important than helping a friend in need? She noticed Kurama seemed different today. If something was bothering him, he usually wouldn't show it, but today he almost looked… stressed. "Is everything okay?"

"Please, if you would bring these documents to Hiei, I'm sure he will appreciate it."

Botan looked at him tentatively, unsure if it would be best for her to visit Hiei at a time like this. He was a private person and she didn't want to intrude, especially when he was at such an emotional time in his life. If he needed her she would drop everything she was doing at the moment and go to him, but right now, she wasn't so sure if he would be happy to see her.

"Trust me, Botan. Right now this is all he has," Kurama said as he pushed the documents into Botan's hands softly. "The work will do good to distract him from his grief."

"Okay," she relented as she looked down at the folder in her arms.

--

It was a good thing the taxi driver was able to locate Hiei's residence. She had forgotten the exact location, but the driver was able to get her there in no time at all. She asked the man at the front desk for Hiei's location and he was kind enough to alert Hiei of Botan's presence as well. When she made her way to Hiei's door, he was already there waiting for her. He looked a little tired and she expected he was unable to get any sleep. Even so, he still remained the strong and secure man he had always been.

"Hiei, I'm-"

"Don't apologize for events that are beyond your control," he cut in, not wanting to hear anyone else's sympathies or condolences. He didn't need it.

Botan nodded slowly and she handed him his work. "I know you probably won't listen to me, but I still have to say it anyway." She smiled recounting all the times Hiei hadn't taken her advice. "Please don't overwork yourself. You deserve to rest."

"Would you rather I gave all the work to you instead?" He countered.

"If I promise to do that, will you take a break?" Her eyes widened in earnest and she leaned in all too eagerly. "Because I wouldn't mind at all, and if there's anything else I can do for you don't hesitate to ask!" She began to list all the possibilities while keeping track of them on her fingers, hardly paying attention to anything Hiei said at this point.

"Onna…"

"I can even cook and clean for you!"

"Onna."

"Bring on all the paperwork and boring meetings!"

"Onna!"

"I can handle anything!"

"Botan!"

"What is it Hiei?" She stopped her ranting and raving and looked at him in confusion. "There's no need to be so loud!"

"It was a rhetorical question."

"Oh…" Botan said sheepishly as she looked down to the floor in embarrassment. _Way to make a fool out of yourself, Botan!_ She thought as she mentally berated herself.

Hiei just looked at her and cracked a small smirk. It was amazing how easily she made a fool out of herself. "You're free to go now, and make sure the fools actually do their work."

"Don't worry, Kurama, Shizuru, and I can handle anything that comes our way. Just leave it to us!" Her gaze softened when she looked upon him. "Take care of yourself, okay? Don't forget to call me if you need anything." She felt the need to remind him that she was there for him, no matter what. Leaving him alone in such a troubled time in his life made her feel useless, she wanted to do more for him, but he simply didn't want any help.

Hiei nodded and watched as she turned to leave but abruptly stopped. Her eyes narrowed and brows crinkled in confusion as she tried to decipher the small noises she was hearing past Hiei's door. Upon realizing what it was, her eyes widened and she pointed to the door in shock.

"Is that…" Botan started with a pained expression.

Hiei nodded. "…Yukina."

Her wailing had died down and slowly but surely she was calming down. Hiei thought she cried herself to sleep, but apparently she was still awake. He knew from the look on Botan's face that she wanted to go and console the girl and he narrowed his eyes in thought. He wasn't someone you went to for comfort and he had no idea how to console his weeping sister, but Botan was a more compassionate soul.

After contemplating it for a little while longer, Hiei opened the door wordlessly, wide enough for Botan to enter and she caught on quickly, walking in with a hesitant look on her face. He led her to the guestroom where Yukina was.

"Yukina," Botan said softly as she walked towards the girl.

Yukina's head turned slowly in the direction of that familiar voice and she looked at Botan through red and blurry eyes. "Botan?"

At the sound of her distressed voice, Botan immediately embraced her. A fresh batch of tears made its way out of Yukina's system and she Botan just held the smaller girl against her, while whispering soothing words.

As Hiei left the room that same heavy feeling returned. His chest was tightening and he found it hard to breathe. He swallowed hard and sat down at his computer, intent on getting some much needed work done. In time he would be strong enough to get over this, all he had to do was hold out until then.

--

It had been a few hours later until Yukina finally cried herself to sleep. Botan covered her and turned off the lights, hoping she would rest for the remainder of the night. She stepped out of the room to find Hiei asleep on the couch; he was in a seated position, his head hung low, and a laptop was placed in his lap.

"…Mother," he mumbled lowly. So low, Botan was unsure if she was hearing things or not. She bent down closer to examine his face and her eyes widened when she noticed one single tear roll down his cheek. He had a pained expression on his face and she realized he was having a nightmare. Gently, she shook him, rousing him out of his slumber.

He opened his eyes slowly and Botan's face came into view. He felt that familiar wet substance on his face and quickly wiped it away, wondering if Botan noticed. By the look on her face, she had. He set the laptop on the couch and stood up.

"Yukina's asleep. I suspect she'll remain asleep for the duration of the night. All that crying took a toll on her body," Botan let out hurriedly, reluctant to look at Hiei's face. "Is there anything you'd like me to make for you before I leave; some food or tea, perhaps?"

Hiei shook his head. His heart might have been in grief but his arms and legs were working fine. "My driver will take you home, he should be out there waiting for you."

Botan smiled appreciatively and stopped at the door before turning back around and leaving him with one last statement. "For what it's worth, I'm sure your mother was the happiest she had been in a long time after meeting you. You fulfilled her final wish by meeting her."

Hiei remained silent as her words sunk in. She was right from the very start. Her persistence in getting him to reunite with his mother was just in time. He didn't even want to think of what would have happened had he not followed her words. She always showed up at the right time, like today, for instance. Her comforting presence calmed Yukina down from her hysterics and now her words eased his troubled heart. Since when had she become so intuitive?

"Goodnight!" Botan said as she waved and walked down the hall. He watched as she walked out of sight and then closed his door.

--

Over the next few days things began to get rocky. Botan learned the reason for Kurama's delay to visit Hiei was Hiei's idea entirely. Stocks for Jaganshi Corp had been declining steadily for some time now and it was becoming a huge concern for everyone. They were all working furiously to try and remedy the situation and prevent such problems from existing in the future.

In addition to her increased workload, her mind was plagued with thoughts of Hiei. Everything about him was admirable to her. His strong personality, somewhat cold and aloof demeanor, his ruby eyes and midnight black hair, the sound of his voice, the way his mouth twisted up in a condescendingly confident smirk; everything. She wanted to see him so badly in his absence. The sight of him crying that day broke her heart to the point where she wanted to cry herself. She wanted to comfort him, but couldn't. She wanted to be there for him, she wanted to make him smile, and she wanted to assure him. She wanted to be the only one who he would allow to love him and love back in return.

…Whoa, wait a second. Love? Did she actually just think that? Was she in love with Hiei Jaganshi? Since when did this become anything more than a mindless crush? Botan groaned and she lightly banged her head on the table in frustration. "No, no, no! This can't be happening!"

"Trying to inflict injuries on an already brain-damaged head? Hn. I didn't realize you were a masochistic type of onna."

Her head snapped up and eyes widened.

"Hiei!" She jumped up from her seat and wandered over to him. "Back so soon?"

So soon? He didn't think it was soon enough. A whole week off filled with nothing but funeral arrangements and other issues had him wishing he was back at his office berating the buffoons, insulting the onna, watching the oaf's sister torment him, or even getting fussed over by the fox.

By now the others heard her exclamation and made their way over to him as well. Kurama had already briefed them in on how to act around Hiei and made it a point to remind them not to give him their condolences and any other forms of sympathetic expressions, so they remained wary of not letting such phrases slip.

"Lookin' good, Hiei!" Yusuke remarked as the others looked over to him with puzzled expressions on their faces, not quite catching the context he meant it in. What he would've said, if Kurama had allowed them to talk to Hiei about his loss, was something along the lines of Hiei being in good physical and mental condition, considering everything that's happened. Unfortunately for Yusuke, his mouth and his brain didn't always see eye to eye. "That did not come out right… What I meant to say was-"

"It's good to see you," Shizuru cut in, effectively saving Yusuke from anymore embarrassment.

He nodded; secretly glad for her intervention. He didn't know how much more of Yusuke's awkward reunion he could take.

"How's Yukina?" Kuwabara asked solemnly.

"She's fine," Hiei answered curtly, and although it seemed he was reluctant to talk about her, he was being honest. Her condition improved drastically and her outlook on the situation became positive once more. At the funeral, Yukina told Hiei she knew in her heart that their mother was free and happy; wherever she was right now. Her suffering was over and now they could move on with their lives.

After some more small talk, Hiei finally ended their small reunion. There was a lot of work to be done and he was eager to get back into his own office. Botan watched as both Hiei and Kurama made their way over to Hiei's office and smiled. She was happy that Hiei was back, and although she knew he couldn't possibly be completely over his mother's death, he wasn't letting himself fall apart and that was all that mattered.

Hiei entered his office with Kurama trailing close behind. He knew things weren't going well. Kurama had visited numerous times with home-cooked meals from his mother, Shiori. During those visits, Hiei could sense that he was keeping something from him, something important. Jaganshi Corp was in for some rough days ahead, he knew that all to well, but the cautious look on Kurama's face made him wonder if there as more to it than just declining stock values.

"Have you figured out why stocks are so low?" Hiei asked, never one to make small talk. He would rather be direct and get straight to the point.

"Yes," Kurama responded gravely. "You might want to sit down for this."

Hiei glared back impatiently. "Just get on with it already."

"As you might have guessed, our favorite duo has a hand in all of this."

"Mukuro and Yomi," he spat with disdain.

"All this time, they have been leaking false information and data, enticing employees to take out loans that were obsolete."

Hiei growled. "Why would my employees listen to them?"

Kurama sighed. "It's not a matter of loyalty, Hiei. You know they are all on your side and they have always had this company's best interest in mind."

"If loyalty isn't an issue, then why the fuck did they run the company's funds into the ground?"

"Like I said," Kurama continued. "Both Mukuro and Yomi have somehow fed them counterfeit data reports right under our noses."

"…But how?" Hiei asked, for once speechless.

"Hacking into computer networks is something Yomi could hire anyone to do. I assume during their frequent visits they visited the employees as well. Perhaps they even went as far to fill the company mailboxes with a load of lies and discrepancies."

Hiei remained silent taking it all in. He was beyond pissed; he should have known they were scheming something big. If only he had paid more attention, if only he had looked harder, they wouldn't be in this mess right now. Berating himself, however, was not on his to do list, so he quickly stopped. They were in trouble and he would just have to fix everything. It couldn't be too hard to pay back a few loans, right?

"That isn't all, I'm afraid," Kurama looked at Hiei through hard and calculating eyes. "The accumulated interest on the loans is high. Even if we pay off the initial sum, we would still have a great deal of debt. I'm not sure how we can overcome this but-"

"I'll do it," Hiei resolved. "I'll pay it all off and make sure those two regret they ever crossed me."

Kurama smiled. "I never doubted your abilities, Hiei. It will be hard, but I'm sure between the both of us we can think of something."

He nodded. "Is that all?"

"Well…" Kurama hesitated, unsure if he should reveal this particular fact to Hiei.

"Spit out."

"Yomi confronted Botan last week. He tried to intimidate her; scare her off."

The shock that was once on Hiei's face melted into pure anger. Kurama could tell he was doing everything he could at this point not to barge into Yomi's office and wipe that smug look off of his face.

"Don't worry. She was frightened, obviously, but I got there before he inflicted any emotional trauma."

Kurama looked back at Hiei, or at least the spot he was last standing in, only to find he was no longer there. He already rushed to Botan's desk and pulled her up from her seat, a bit more roughly than he intended to.

"Did he hurt you?"

"What?" Botan muttered, clearly bewildered by his sudden outburst. His proximity was clouding up her train of thought and her mind wandered back to the steamy encounter they shared in his office.

"Did Yomi hurt you?"

Realization swept over her features and she looked at Kurama, unsure of what to say. Kurama put a finger to his lips, ensuring that he kept her secret between them.

"No." Botan shook her head slowly. "He didn't hurt me."

"Are you sure?" He asked again, just to be certain. If Yomi did anything to her there would be hell to pay.

Botan nodded. "I'm alright, I promise."

"Good," he muttered gruffly before letting her go and leaving her with one last warning. "Don't go near him anymore."

"Is everything alright?" She called out as he began to walk back to his office. He didn't answer her as he opened the door and slammed it shut, leaving Botan to stare at Kurama in all her confusion.

"I just finished telling him the reasons behind our stock decline in addition to the stunt Yomi pulled in my office concerning you," Kurama explained. "I only told him that Yomi tried to frighten you. He knows nothing more."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks Kurama!" She looked past his shoulder to see a familiar blue-haired girl walking over to them. "Isn't that…"

"Yukina!" Kuwabara bellowed in joy as he jumped out of his seat and ran over to her. "My love, it's been too long!"

"Yes it has," she looked down guiltily. "I'm sorry."

Kuwabara shook his head furiously. "Don't apologize! You've grown even more beautiful since the last time I've seen you!"

She blushed at his statement smiling solemnly, and then her eyes caught sight of Botan and Kurama walking over to her. They both greeted her with a smile.

"Excuse us for breaking up the lover's reunion!" Botan said with a sly grin.

"Is something the matter?" Kurama asked, hoping this had nothing to do with her mother's passing away.

"No not at all. I made a few of Hiei's favorites for lunch. I had to do something to take my mind off of…" she trailed off her smile fading. She then turned to Botan, her eyes shining with gratitude. "Anyway, I also came to thank you for staying with me that night. It meant a lot to me, Botan."

Botan smiled and waved her off. "You would've done the same for me, I'm sure! You don't have to thank me!"

"Oh, but I do! If it weren't for you I'm not sure if Hiei would have ever reconciled with our mother. You've done so much for my family, I don't know how I'll ever repay you, but I promise I will!"

"Y-you don't have to do that!" Botan stuttered, waving her hands around in disapproval as Yukina bowed in gratitude. Upon realizing Yukina was serious in her appreciation and wouldn't give up on the issue, she stopped fussing and smiled. "Alright, you leave me no choice but to take you up on that offer!" She winked at the shorter girl, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Yukina smiled in return. "Please do, if there's anything you need, I hope I'll be the one you call."

"Of course!"

Kuwabara beamed proudly at Yukina. "You're so benevolent; the most precious and kindhearted girl in the world!"

"Ooh, me next!" She raised her hand excitedly like a school-girl. "What about me?" She pointed to herself eagerly.

Kuwabara peeled his eyes from Yukina for a quick moment to look over Botan. "You're alright, I guess…" he said sheepishly before turning his attention back to Yukina and gushing about her in the most enthusiastic tone he could muster.

"So much for Botan getting attention…" she muttered to herself and Kurama let out a small chuckle at her expense.

"Where are Yusuke and Shizuru?" Yukina asked looking around to find their cubicles empty.

"Yusuke's probably taking his hourly break and my sis is handling some business with Sakyo," Kuwabara answered.

At this Kurama's expression darkened. He couldn't understand why Shizuru always offered to deal with Sakyo when there were plenty of other business associates she could consort with. He would be happy to assign Sakyo to someone else, but she insisted every time.

Botan pouted. "Don't worry Kurama," she patted him on the back. "I'm sure you're still her favorite businessman!"

"Perhaps you should pay more attention to your troubles with Hiei than…" Kurama stopped talking when he noticed Kuwabara and Yukina were staring at them with wide eyes.

"You like my brother?"

She shot him a warning look and quickly replaced it with a forced smile. "Of course not, whatever gave you that notion?"

"I could've sworn Kurama just said…" Yukina drawled out slowly.

She laughed nervously, resisting the urge to glare at the redhead. "No, no. Kurama was just being silly! I do not have feelings for Hiei, that's absurd."

Kuwabara watched her carefully before pointing at her wildly. "You're lying!"

"Excuse me?"

"You go through the same motions every time you lie!"

Botan's mouth twitched. So along with Kurama and Yusuke, Kuwabara too was now an expert at reading her like an open book. She looked at Yukina pathetically; unsure of what to say next.

"Is it true?"

Botan nodded slowly and Yukina smiled, brighter than any of them had seen her smile in a while. "I'm glad."

"Say what?!" Now it was Kuwabara's turn to be bewildered.

Yukina just giggled in response but stopped immediately when Hiei opened his doors roughly demanding to know what all the noise was about. Kuwabara put on that same panicked smile he used every so often when he had been caught in the middle of one of his and Yusuke's tricks. Yukina looked at Hiei, her eyes open wide in shock; she hoped her brother didn't hear their little conversation. Botan visibly stiffened and the moment Hiei's eyes landed on hers she looked away. Even Kurama looked less composed than usual.

"I brought this lunch over for you, brother," Yukina said as she walked up to him and handed him the lunch, quickly salvaging the situation. He accepted it with a small nod, his eyes conveying the gratitude his mouth was so reluctant to utter.

"You should all get back to work," Hiei advised his gaze still holding a bit of suspicion. It was odd that his presence could cause them all to tense up like that. He would get it out of Kurama later, he decided, as he shut the door after making sure Yukina would be alright for the rest of the day.

Botan crossed her arms. "This isn't good. Now everyone knows… minus Hiei of course." A hand flew up to her mouth and her amethyst eyes widened in horror. "Oh no, I haven't even told Shizuru yet! She'll be furious when she finds out she was the last one to know!"

Kuwabara put a hand to her shoulder in sympathy. He had been on the receiving end of Shizuru's anger for all of his life. It wasn't pretty. "Good luck."

"Botan, can I speak with you?" Yukina inquired.

"Sure you can!" Botan answered. She looked over at Kuwabara who remained oblivious at her side, clearly not understanding the implications of Yukina's statement. Kurama, who caught on immediately, proceeded to take Kuwabara and give him some more assignment to fill up his empty day. After they were out of sight, Botan decided it would be best to lead Yukina to the women's bathroom. Luckily for them it was empty and they were free to speak about whatever they wanted. What happened in the women's restroom stayed in the women's restroom. Or at least that's what Botan thought the motto was.

"Do you mind if I ask you a few questions concerning my brother?"

"Go ahead! I would be curious if one of my friends had a crush on Koenma, so I understand your situation completely!"

"…Koenma?" Yukina questioned. "The same business-man who does dealings with my brother?"

Botan nodded; feeling a bit foolish for blurting out his name so carelessly like that. "He's like a brother to me."

"Oh."

"I suppose now is a good time as ever. Ask away, Yukina!"

"When did you start to have feelings for him?"

"Well, to be quite honest I'm not all that sure, really. It just happened…" Botan paused for a moment before continuing. "At first I was curious about him… he seemed like such a mystery. But I guess my curiosity turned into attraction. Everyday I learned new things about him and understood him just a little bit more. Before I knew it I had feelings for him and I couldn't stop thinking about him and worrying about his well-being."

Botan looked at Yukina and started blushing. "Look at me, I'm probably boring you to death with all of this nonsense."

"No, not at all! I think it's sweet that you care for him."

"You do?"

Yukina nodded. "Of course! If you feel this strongly about him, you shouldn't keep it to yourself."

"I've told almost everybody already," Botan put a finger to her chin in thought. "Oh, you mean Shizuru. Yes, I was planning on telling her today!"

"No, not Shizuru. I meant, maybe you should tell my brother?"

Botan didn't speak; she was too lost in her own thoughts to answer. Never did she think about revealing her feelings to Hiei. It was out of the question! He definitely didn't feel the same way as her.

"Forgive me. I didn't mean to-"

"Don't be silly. You've done nothing worth apologizing for!" Botan quickly cut in.

"It's just that ever since our mother's death," Yukina took a deep breath. "I've realized how important living is. I don't want to leave this world regretting any of my decisions and I don't want you to end up regretting keeping something as important as this in your heart."

Botan looked at the girl in front of her with a proud smile on her face. Yukina really was a strong woman and right now she was making complete sense. What if she never got the chance to tell Hiei how she felt?

"I just wish I had more confidence," Botan admitted, frustrated at herself. "There's no way Hiei would fall for someone like me!"

"You're the only one he looks at differently."

"What?"

"There's something strange about the way he looks at you."

"It's probably filled with annoyance or slight disdain," Botan muttered grimly.

"No it's more like… fondness," a familiar voice said, and they looked towards the door to see Shizuru enter the restroom with a smug grin on her face.

"Shizuru?" They both said in unison.

"These walls are as thin as paper, you girls should really keep it down in here," the brunette said as she made her way over to the duo with a small smile on her face. "So you've finally realized you have a crush on your boss, huh?"

Botan laughed sheepishly. "I was going to tell you as soon as you got back, actually!"

"As long as you planned to tell me in the first place, I'm fine," Shizuru said coolly.

"That's good to know." Botan sighed in relief. "What a minute did you just say something about fondness?!"

Shizuru nodded. "That's exactly what I said."

"You've got it all wrong! Hiei's always so mean to me and he loves to insult me and pick at everything I do! But then there are times when he's really sweet, and then there's the fact that he kissed me twice… But then he always ends up acting like a jerk in the end!"

"He must be just as confused as you are…" Shizuru mumbled and Yukina nodded slowly, watching Botan rant until she was blue in the face. She was almost the same color as her hair!

"I don't know what to think anymore!" Botan ground out in pure frustration. "One minute he seems like he likes me and then the next he's giving me the cold shoulder!"

"I think he's just in denial. For as long as I've known him he's never shown serious interest in a girl," Shizuru explained. "He doesn't understand how to react."

"I agree," Yukina added.

Botan began to blush. If what they were saying was true, then that meant Hiei liked her too! Would it be too much to even assume such a thing? She hoped not. Botan took notice of the pair of eyes staring her down and suddenly began to feel uncomfortable.

"Enough about me! If I'm not mistaken I'm not the only one with a crush on my boss!" Botan exclaimed as she stared at Shizuru blatantly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the brunette replied nonchalantly. She began examining a few strands of her hair intently.

Botan crossed her arms. "And that, my dear Yukina, is a wonderful example of a woman in denial."

"Even if it what you say is true, it doesn't matter anyway," Shizuru countered as she looked towards Yukina. "Besides, a relationship between an employee and her superior is practically taboo in this industry."

"They do have laws against such things, after all," Botan began with a wicked smile, catching on immediately. "I guess we should ask others about their more conventional relationships."

She and Shizuru turned around slowly with matching evil grins on their faces as they looked to Yukina, and the shorter girl shrunk back, suddenly afraid of the two women standing in front of her.

"So how are things going with my baby bro?"

--

After that puzzling moment outside of his office, Hiei had resumed his activities. He still hadn't been able to figure out what had transpired there and why they were all so surprised to see him, they were right in front of _his_ office, after all. But alas, he had a business to run… or rather, a business to save. Things were looking quite bad for him. He had been working on ways to cut costs and expenses all the while paying back the debt that had built up.

"Maybe I should've merged companies with Mukuro when I had the chance…" Hiei muttered half-heartedly. He quickly shook that disturbing thought out of his head began clicking away with his mouse, the bright lights of the computer screen beginning to give him a slight headache.

A few more minutes of fruitless labor and his resolve was beginning to thin. He slammed his fists down on his desk, a loud bang resounding within the quiet space of his office. He worked so hard to build this company up while Mukuro and Yomi were working nearly as hard just to tear it down. He could not lose to them; his pride wouldn't allow it. He had people counting on him, and as much as he didn't like to show it, he would remain loyal to his employees just as they remained faithful to him. He owed it to them to get this company back on track. If he couldn't do that much, he didn't deserve all the fame and prestige that came with his name.

Hiei got up from his desk and began pacing around the room slowly. He knew there was a way out of this mess and he was confident in his ability to handle critical situations such as these. As long as he kept his cool and continued to work diligently, his efforts would pay off. So many thoughts were running through his head, a few of which had been numerous precautions and actions that had the potential to provide favorable outcomes. They wouldn't be enough to substantially diminish his problems, but it would be a start.

Quickly he strode back to his computer and began typing furiously. A few moments later, Yusuke popped in Hiei's office. He walked up to the desk hesitantly and stood there, waiting for Hiei to acknowledge his presence.

"What is it?"

"Things have been kind of rocky lately and I know you'll probably refuse my offer-"

"-Then what's the point of making a proposal?"

"But I still have to try," Yusuke continued. "You know I'm Raizen's heir. I'm not that into wealth and fame, it's not my style. I can get by with as little as possible, but my old man's assets have been running through my mind a lot lately."

Hiei raised a brow as Yusuke ran a hand through his gelled hair, with a sigh. "If you would just unfreeze his inheritance I would be more than willing to lend it to you. I know you're not big on hand-outs, but it's all you've got right now."

"No," Hiei said sternly although Yusuke could tell from his many years of experience of working under Hiei that he was somewhat touched by his proposal. "It's out of the question."

Yusuke grinned. "That's a relief. If you took me up on my offer then I really would have been worried."

Just then Kurama entered the office, a storm raging in his usually calm and collected eyes. "Yomi and Mukuro are here."

"What?" Yusuke bellowed. "They have the balls to come back here after what they've done?"

Hiei got up from his seated position and made his way out of his office, Yusuke stomping behind him.

"Where are they?" Hiei snarled.

Mukuro's voice rang through their eyes and they turned their attention to her. She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed in front of her chest haughtily. "Have you missed me that much, Hiei? It's only been about a week since I've seen you last, has it not?"

Hiei crossed his arms, remaining silent. He was not in the mood to hear them gloat about the mess they had gotten him into. He wouldn't give them satisfaction of knowing they put him in a bind.

"I can only imagine what's running through your head now. Do you wish to take me up on my offer? Although it may be much later than I hoped for, the offer still stands. This is your last chance," she said sternly, her voice taking on a much more serious tone, full of authority.

"Fuck you," Hiei retorted as he looked upon her in disgust.

"That's hardly the proper way to talk to a lady," Yomi mocked as he strode down the hallway with Shura in tow. The young boy immediately took his place at Botan's desk. Kurama watched as the child turned on the computer and inserted a flash drive into one of the USB ports. He immediately flashed back to last week when Shura was left unattended at Botan's desk and Yomi had confronted Botan. Is this how they leaked information, he used his son as a tool in his sick game of treachery?

"You didn't…" Kurama began as he watched the oblivious boy begin to play a seemingly harmless game.

"I suspected you would figure it out beforehand, but better late than never," Yomi started. Kurama made a move to go procure the device but Yomi's words stopped him. "Don't be rash, at this very moment, it is nothing more than a harmless children's game. We have already accomplished our goals; there would be no need to resort to the same tactic twice."

"Does he know that you've been using him like a tool to accomplish your own selfish agendas?" Kurama asked, his fury barely contained underneath the surface of his composed demeanor. He could not believe Yomi would stoop so low and involve an innocent child in his conniving plans.

"The boy has no clue. Perhaps in a few years I'll tell him how he single-handedly aided me in gaining one of the world's most desirable corporations."

Kurama's shoulders shook with anger. "You-"

"Kurama," Hiei interjected, taking note of his friend's rage. "Don't let him get to you. What's done is done." Hiei knew all too well that Yomi was just trying to get Kurama to lose his composure, but he wouldn't let his friend fall victim to Yomi's mind-games.

Yusuke, deciding it was his turn to get in on the action, simply smirked. "It must suck to go on living knowing no matter how much you plot you'll only be second best in the end." He narrowed his eyes and glared at the two in front of him. "It seems to me like the only reason you target this company so much is because you're jealous of Hiei and Kurama. You want what they have because you'll never amount to anything more than a pair of scheming cowards with a couple of harmless tricks up your sleeve."

"Second-rate schemers with a couple of tricks up our sleeves, huh? That sounds like a pretty accurate description of you and your orange-haired friend," Mukuro shot back. "What's taking you so long to finally obtain your inheritance? Is following in daddy dearest's footsteps harder than you initially thought?"

Yusuke shot her a deadly glare and she smirked. "You almost look as intimidating as Raizen, too bad you don't have half the brain capacity or capabilities to follow the road he has so willingly paved for you."

"Shut up," Yusuke bit out. "So what if I'm not cut out to be some kind of 'elite' bastard like you two. At least I've still got my dignity."

"Who needs dignity when you've got money and power?" Yomi shot back.

Yusuke clenched his fists and wondered if the jail-time would be doubled for using a blind man as a punching bag. His thoughts immediately vanished when he heard a familiar giggle from the other end of the hallway. He looked to see Botan laughing along with Yukina and Shizuru following closely behind her. Yukina was the first to notice that something was going on outside of Hiei's office and she alerted the other girls to it.

Botan's eyes widened in fear as she looked upon the very man she hoped she wouldn't have to encounter for a very long time. She swallowed hard before speaking. "Y-yomi…"

"Let's go Botan," Shizuru offered taking notice of the tension in the air. It was obvious Botan did not want to be in the presence of Yomi. She latched her arm in Botan's and attempted to get the girl to move, but Botan just stood there, her amethyst eyes fixed upon the black-haired man.

"Why are you here?" Botan asked suddenly, her mouth moving before her mind could even comprehend what she was saying. Of course he was here to torment her along with anybody else that had ties with Hiei and this corporation. She just hoped he hadn't said anything about her past to anyone.

"Don't worry, I haven't revealed the discussions of our previous meeting, if that is what you were wondering."

Botan continued to stare at him, her fear slowly melting into anger. The condescending way he talked to her was starting to get on her nerves. She wasn't a child, he didn't have to take that tone with her.

"I hope there are no hard feelings between us based on our last encounter. I didn't realize my words could affect you so," Yomi lied.

Hiei watched them interact through narrowed eyes. He could tell Botan was trying not to back down, she forced herself keep her gaze on Yomi with confidence, but the fear lurking beneath those pure eyes was evident. He was sure Yomi could sense it as well, and the bastard probably reveled in it. The black-haired tycoon was really pushing Hiei's patience. First the bastard deceived his employees and somehow hacked into their information network. Then he tarnished the company's durable name and prestige by defacing its stock value. And now, he set his sights on Botan. That was the last straw for Hiei. He hadn't been there for her last time, but things were different now, he wouldn't let her be on the receiving end of Yomi's destructive ploys.

Yomi took a step closer to Botan and Hiei snapped. In an instant he was in front of Yomi, grabbing him by the scruff of his shirt. Botan and Yukina gasped while Shizuru and Yusuke watched on, anxiously.

"Hiei!" Kurama cautioned urgently. "Restrain yourself."

In all the commotion Shura had stopped playing his game and turned to see what was going on. He saw his father apprehended by a rage-filled Hiei. Shura watched on with wide eyes, afraid of what Hiei would do to his father.

"I would have never guessed you would be so protective over your assistant," Yomi mused in a sickeningly calm voice.

Hiei had a murderous glint in his eyes as he watched the man who was the cause of all his troubles. "Don't come near her, don't speak to her, don't even _think_ about her." Hiei growled out as he tightened his grip on Yomi's shirt. "Do you hear me?"

"I'm blind, not deaf. I heard you loud and clear," Yomi countered, that smirk never once leaving his face. Mukuro watched on, enraged. She could hardly believe Hiei would get so riled up over one useless woman.

Hiei's mouth twisted into a snarl. This bastard had gone too far and he acted as though everything was just a game. He was just about ready to punch him but something hurled itself on his leg. "Stop it!" It yelled in an oddly familiar whiny voice.

Hiei looked down to see Shura gripping him tightly. As he watched the boy his anger seemed to die down a bit. Hitting his father right in front of him would be inhuman. Then again, he had never been known for his compassionate and Botan had called him a demon on more accounts than one. But no… even though he prided himself on his cold demeanor, he would never stoop this low.

"You are nothing more than a despicable waste of life and I would love to wipe that smug smirk off your damn face," Hiei began. "But you're not worth it." He released Yomi from his grasp and sent him one final glare. "Get out of my sight."

"Aren't you the least bit curious as to why we came?" Mukuro asked as stood up straight and advanced to where Yomi was.

"At the rate you're going this company will be nothing." Yomi said as he smoothed out the wrinkles out of his shirt. "We will allow you to control a portion of ownership over this company, but the majority of it will belong to us. Just give in and you can have some of your pride left."

"I refuse," Hiei replied firmly.

Mukuro crossed her arms and shook her head at his refusal, clearly disappointed with decision. "It would have been better if you just gave in to our demands, Hiei."

"You've sealed your own fate, don't say we didn't warn you," Yomi advised. "Shura, let's go." The boy nodded and with one last glance, they turned around and made their way off of the premises. They all stood there in silence as they watched the three figures leave.

"Hiei, thank you for standing up for me," Botan said softly, breaking the silence that had fallen upon them. "I know you're probably going to say it meant nothing to you, but it was very kind of you."

"Kind?" Hiei echoed, as he raised a brow. "I was just about to murder the bastard and you call me kind because of it?"

"I didn't mean it like that!" Botan exclaimed with a frown. "It's the thought that counts, the motives behind your actions! You were trying to help me; that's what I'm thankful for!"

"Hn." Hiei just crossed his with an air of indifference. He couldn't deny that she was the driving force behind his actions, not when they all witnessed his obvious rage when Yomi directed his attentions on Botan. All he could do is pretend like it didn't mean anything; as if he would have done the same for any of them.

Yusuke chuckled remembering. "It was definitely something. I was hopping you would've decked him and put him in his damn place, but the little brat had to ruin it."

"It was probably for the best," Kurama cut in.

All of a sudden, Kuwabara ran up to them huffing and taking deep breaths. "Mukuro and Yomi—I just saw them! Why are they here?!"

"Slow on the uptake as always, Kuwabara," Yusuke muttered and Kuwabara glared at him.

"Where have you been all this time?" Botan questioned.

He scratched the back of his head guiltily. "I forgot to leave some food out for Eikichi! You know how many hours we've been putting in lately! I leave early in the morning and come back home late at night. I don't want her to starve!"

"If the pressure is getting to you then you can just leave," Hiei mentioned rudely as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"No way, I'm sticking with you until the very end. It's a promise between men!" Kuwabara exclaimed with renewed vigor as he puffed out his chest. Yukina smiled up at him and Botan clapped her hands together in delight, while Yusuke made gagging noises.

"…You do realize you just assumed the company won't be around for much longer," Shizuru interjected.

"That's not what I meant!"

"We understood you nevertheless. No matter what those two pull next, we'll find a way out of it," Kurama resolved.

Hiei just nodded in return. Kurama was right; they would get through the upcoming obstacles.

--

Well… I'm not really pleased with this chapter and I didn't get to edit it and finish it the way I wanted to but I'm posting it anyway. Someone who was like a Grandfather to me passed away and I don't feel like working on this fic at this very moment. So I decided to publish this chapter [in all its unfinished/unedited glory] to tide you wonderful readers/reviewers over. Don't worry I'm not gonna take a year to update [like last time] … I promise this fic will be over soon! Thanks for your continual support.

MystiK~


	14. Identity Revealed

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 14: Identity Revealed

--

"Yusuke, I think I'm going to do it," Botan said as she wrung her hands nervously and looked to Hiei's office door.

"Do what?" He mumbled through a mouthful of bagel as he turned on his computer, not really paying attention to the distraught assistant in front of him.

"I'm going to thank Hiei properly for standing up for me yesterday."

He made a choked noise and quickly swallowed, attention fully gained. "You what?" With a mind as perverted as Yusuke's and with the obscurity of Botan's statement, it was no wonder why the black-haired man was suddenly spluttering. Add to that the fact that Botan actually looked anxious over it and Yusuke began to panic. How exactly did she plan on showing her gratitude?

"You heard me; I'm going to give him a proper thanks," she reiterated.

Yusuke grabbed her shoulders tightly, his brown eyes boring into her own intensely. "Please tell me you're not about to do what I think you're going to do."

"I'm just going to thank him. And…" Botan trailed off nervously.

"And?" Yusuke insisted impatiently.

"I'm thinking of telling him how I really feel about him," the assistant revealed, her gaze avoiding his.

"Oh thank god. I thought you were about to-" Yusuke stopped suddenly. "You're going to what, now?"

"It's just…" Botan sighed. "Lately, I've been having this really awful feeling, like something bad is about to happen."

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "Newsflash: the company is in shambles. How much worse could it get?"

"I don't know, but I feel like if I don't tell him soon… I won't ever get the chance to." Botan looked down, her bangs covering her eyes slightly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yusuke asked.

"I really don't know," she answered sullenly. "But if I tell him, maybe I'll stop feeling this way."

"And what if he doesn't exactly feel the same?" Yusuke questioned seriously. "What will you do then?"

Botan smiled slowly. "Then I'll just take Shizuru's advice."

"You're not going to kill him are you?" He quickly glanced at her hands to see if she was holding a letter-opener or any other sharp object, and breathed easy when he realized her hands were empty. "Because, even though he acts like a bastard, we kinda need him to run this company…"

Botan giggled at his ludicrous conclusions. "No silly! I'll just move on. It'll be for the best, right?"

"If you say so," Yusuke nodded. "Good luck, you're gonna need it."

"Thanks," she said with a smile as she held her head up high and walked towards Hiei's door.

"Botan," Kurama's mellow voice cut through her concentration. "Kuwabara and Shizuru are already on some errands, would it trouble you to…"

The blue-haired assistant had already tuned him out with a small pout. Was this going to be just like the time she tried to confront Hiei about his mother? Just about everyone pulled her away from the task at hand and it took her forever to get it out with already.

"I'll do it, Kurama," Yusuke said as he walked up to Kurama and Botan. They looked at him incredulously and he put his hands up defensively. "Hey, don't give me that look. Things have been hectic lately, and even I'm willing to put in my fair share of work."

"That's considerate of you, but I suggest you finish your own assignments before adding more to your already sizeable plate," Kurama advised as he looked over to Yusuke's messy desk.

"That's nothing, it'll be done in no time," Yusuke lied in a strained voice, while looking over to his desk reluctantly. He then proceeded to take the folder from Kurama's hand with a grin. "I got this."

Kurama simply nodded and returned to his office, not having enough time in his day to ponder the enigma surrounding Yusuke and his antics.

"Yusuke you-" Botan began with a smile of gratitude and put a hand up, effectively silencing her.

"Yeah, I know, I'm awesome!" He smirked. "But when you're done with your little 'assignment,' don't forget: I've got a whole stack of papers with your name on it."

--

Luckily enough for her, Hiei's office was open. She entered and quickly closed the door, not wanting anyone else to listen in on the conversation that was about to ensue.

"Hiei…"

He looked up to find her slowly walking up to his desk, her eyes glancing around the room nervously. "Onna."

"I have something really important to tell you and I'd really appreciate it if you would listen."

"I'm busy," he said flatly. That was a bit of an understatement, but it would do for now. Work was the only thing he was doing lately. If he seemed to find one solution, a new problem would pop up in its place.

"Hiei, please!" She pleaded. "Just do me this one favor."

He removed his attention from the computer screen and looked at her, more intently this time. She was serious and it was obvious that something was bothering her. There was a look of urgency in her amethyst eyes and her tone was a bit distraught. Had Yomi done something to upset her? Or perhaps it was Mukuro this time? Whatever it was she needed his attention now, and that meant he would have to put off his work for a few moments.

"Did Yomi contact you?" He asked before getting up from his desk and making his way over to his nervous assistant.

"What?" She looked at him confusedly and then quickly shook her head with wide eyes. "No, it's nothing like that!"

He was relieved when he heard her answer, but his impatience still remained. "Quickly state your business and leave. I don't have all day."

"Well, first off, I just wanted to thank you again for standing up for me," Botan began. "I don't know why I let Yomi affect me so. First Kurama had to help me out and now you. I won't let him scare me anymore."

"Next time, don't give him the satisfaction of seeing you afraid," Hiei advised. "He's a sick bastard who lives off of the fear of others."

"I won't, I'll be stronger from now on!" She said determinedly. "I'll be like you!"

Hiei raised a brow. "Like me?"

"Bingo! You aren't afraid of anything!" Botan clapped her hands together. "Next time I see them I'll be just as fearless as you."

"Hn." Hiei smirked, secretly pleased that she was standing there praising him, before crossing his arms and becoming serious once more. "Don't concern yourself with Yomi or Mukuro, Kurama and I will handle them."

She shot him a questioning look and her lips curved downward.

"They aren't your problem, they are mine alone. I don't want you getting involved with them."

"But why can't-"

"They're dangerous, you fool. You don't understand what they're capable of."

"Why do you always do that?" Botan blurted out finally, her pink lips twisted into a full pout.

Hiei stared at her questioningly, not understanding what she was getting at. "Why do I always do what, onna?"

"Why do you always try to handle everything yourself? You have people on your side, you know," Botan admonished. "Can't you see that we all just want to help you?"

"I fail to see why you would even concern yourself with my affairs," Hiei replied bluntly. He briefly wondered why her cheeks became tinted and her eyes avoided his own at all costs.

"Isn't it obvious?" She said softly, her eyes glued to the floor.

It was fairly obvious to him. It was because she cared too much about everyone and everything. It was because she had a compassionate heart and wanted to help others whenever she could. It was because of her selfless nature. It was because she was Botan, nothing more and nothing less.

"It's because I…" Botan breathed in slowly, gaining confidence. "It's because I like you, Hiei."

His face fell upon her confession and he just stared back at her wordlessly.

"At this point, I'm sure of my own feelings… the only thing I can't figure out is you." Botan looked up at him pleadingly. "One minute you're so kind and the next you revert back into your normal countenance. I don't understand why you keep stringing me along, Hiei."

Hiei opened his mouth to speak but Botan continued before he could say anything. "You might not have even realized you were doing it, but it's been affecting me greatly, and all you're doing is giving me false hope and making me believe there might be small chance that you could have feelings for me too. I don't expect you to give me an answer now, not when things are so hectic. I just… want you to think hard about your own feelings."

Without warning, Kurama entered the room. He excused himself but Botan quickly shook her head.

"It's okay, I was just leaving." Botan turned her attentions back at Hiei, her bright eyes shinning. "Well, that's all I had to say, I guess I should get back to my work now!"

She walked out of the room with a smile on her face and her head held high and Kurama watched her a bit confused. He knew she was a naturally cheery person, but for some reason her happiness seemed to be directed towards whatever just transpired in the room.

Hiei on the other hand just stared back at the spot where she was previously standing. He briefly wondered if he had imagined the whole thing and his growing feelings for her were playing sick tricks on his mind. No, he was sure he wasn't imagining things. She came into his office, thanked him for helping her, and then boldly declared her feelings for him.

The question was… what would he tell her now? Should he tell her the truth, that he actually felt something for her? Or should he just ignore both Botan and his feelings, and hopefully the whole situation would disappear completely. He was Hiei Jaganshi. He was the owner of Jaganshi Corp. He was never tied down to one woman. He didn't fall in love. Those were the facts, so why did she have to come around and obscure reality?

He sat back down at his desk and groaned. It would be hard for him to continue working with the recent events fresh in his mind, but he couldn't let it distract him. Botan said she would give him time, which meant he could go on as if she never said anything in the first place. Perhaps in time, she too, would realize her feelings were nothing more than a fleeting lapse in judgment.

"Is something the matter, Hiei?"

Hiei looked up from his work, almost startled by Kurama's voice. He glared at the redhead who seemed to be amused for some reason.

"What do you want?"

"You didn't even notice I entered, did you?"

"Of course I did," Hiei claimed indignantly as he wracked his brain, trying to figure out exactly when Kurama let himself in, hoping he hadn't heard any part of Botan's confession. _Damn fox…_

--

Botan was sitting at her desk, humming to herself as she sorted through some papers. She felt as though a huge weight was lifted off of her chest and she could breathe easy. The burden of holding her feelings in and being confused were no longer a problem. It was all clear to her now. She liked Hiei and there was no need to feel ashamed or embarrassed because of it. She poured out her honest feelings towards him and the fact that she was brave enough to do it only boosted her mood.

"So how'd it go?" Yusuke asked impatiently as he leaned against the wall of her cubicle.

She gave him thumbs up and smiled.

"Everything's okay between you two?"

"Bingo!"

"So, Hiei said he feels the same?"

"Not exactly!" Botan said sheepishly. "I don't expect him to tell me anything right now. He's got enough things to sort through right now. I gave him time to think about his answer first."

"Damn," Yusuke crossed his arms. "And here I thought you were sitting there making wedding plans."

Botan's eyes widened and she began to blush. "Yusuke!"

He smirked. "Calm down, it was just a joke."

"Hn!"

"You're starting to sound like Hiei," Yusuke commented.

Botan brought a hand to her mouth. He was right! Hiei was the only one who made that sound. She giggled nervously and brushed him off, claiming she was just clearing her throat.

"Say, where are Kuwabara and Shizuru? They've been out for an awfully long time." Botan noted as she looked over to their empty seats. It was clear they had been in the building earlier, the screensaver on Kuwabara's computer was displayed, and on Shizuru's desk were random items strewn about, including her beloved pack of cigarettes.

"They're out at a meeting, somewhere. Kurama sent them in hopes of salvaging the situation back here."

"Oh."

"Botan may I speak with you for a moment?" Kurama's voice cut through their conversation and both heads turned to him.

"Sure!" She stood up immediately, having a good clue of what exactly the redhead wanted to talk to her about. The same thing had been on her mind as of late, as well. Kurama advised Yusuke to finish up his own work and Yusuke's shoulders sagged as he made his way back to his own desk, dragging his feet slowly in a lame attempt to waste more time. Botan followed Kurama into his office and he closed the door.

"Is everything alright?" Kurama questioned first.

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"I'm troubled by the fact that Yomi knows who you are," he admitted. "It wouldn't be beneath him to somehow use this to his advantage."

Botan nodded. "I'm a bit worried, too."

"In any case, I think it would be best if you revealed to the others what happened in your past. It would be best for you to tell them on your own terms, rather than have Yomi divulge the information."

She pouted, reminding Kurama of a child somewhat. "Somehow, I knew you would say that!"

He smiled. "I'm merely looking out for your best interests."

"I know that, it's just… I don't make it a habit of telling people about my past. It hurts when I remember and quite frankly, I'd rather forget."

"I understand," Kurama began. "But perhaps it's time you reopened your old wounds and let them heal."

Botan contemplated his words for a second. Kurama always seemed to know what was best, and she doubted he would lead her astray. She already confessed one of her secrets for the day and she felt great about it. Would it be the same if she finally told them about her identity and history?

She looked up to him, unsure of what to do. "I don't know…"

"You're always so quick to help others when they need it, but you neglect yourself in the process," Kurama stated. "As your friend, I'm urging you to bare the contents of your past. You know they won't think any differently of you."

At this Botan's eyes widened. He was right. Shizuru was always on her side, no matter what. Yusuke and Kuwabara, although they had roundabout ways of showing it, could be mature and understanding as well. And Hiei… she only hoped he wouldn't look at her differently after this.

"As soon as Shizuru and Kuwabara return," Botan paused. "I'll tell them everything."

Kurama put a hand on her shoulder warmly. "It's for the best."

"Right, it's for the best." Botan echoed firmly, forcing a smile onto her face.

--

Shizuru and Kuwabara had arrived around lunch time. They were both tired and fed up, Shizuru muttering about the clients' incompetence and Kuwabara grumbling about their lack of manners.

"I take it things didn't go well?" Botan asked, looking up from her computer to greet the frustrated siblings.

"That's an understatement," Kuwabara replied as he loosened his tie. "Man, I'm beat!"

"Don't worry, there's always tomorrow!" She reminded cheerfully.

"Yeah, I guess…" Shizuru muttered with a sigh as she put her bag and a few files down on her desk.

Great, now that they had returned she could spill her guts. But wait… someone was missing. "Where's Yusuke?"

Kurama stepped out of his office and joined them. "He stepped out a little while ago; I can only assume he will return soon."

Botan huffed. She was ready to tell them now, not in the near future. The wait only caused anticipation to build up within her already nervous heart. "Well, I hope he comes back soon!"

Shizuru and Kuwabara entered Kurama's office to report the outcome of their meeting while Botan continued to work on her own assignments. Ten minutes later, as the Kuwabara siblings were exiting Kurama's office, Yusuke came running down the halls like a mad man.

"Make way people!" He cautioned to any employees who might have been in the way of his wild rampage. "We're in some deep shit!"

"Urameshi! What's-" Kuwabara began as Yusuke whizzed past him and ran straight into Hiei's office. "…wrong?" They all looked at each other confusedly, before following suit and rushing into Hiei's office.

"What the hell is going on?" Hiei ordered as they all entered without as much as a warning.

"Don't look at us, Urameshi's the crazy one!" Kuwabara exclaimed as he looked over to Yusuke.

"I didn't realize one of us was so famous," Yusuke said as he walked over to the windows of Hiei's office and pointed. "They've even got their own entourage."

They looked out of the window to see hordes of reporters, journalists, newscasters, and cameramen standing outside of the entrance, hoping to get inside of the building. Hiei clenched his fists, Kuwabara and Botan gasped, Shizuru remained silent, and Kurama watched the scene through narrowing eyes.

"What do they want?" Hiei asked as he turned his attention away from the window and towards his group of employees.

"Botan," Yusuke revealed gravely.

She blinked and pointed to herself in disbelief. "Me?"

"Yeah, I figured they were here for either Kurama or Hiei, but they kept asking questions about you!"

Botan and Kurama exchanged looks of understanding that didn't go unnoticed by the rest of them.

"I suppose it's time," Kurama offered.

"Yes, you're right," Botan answered with a nod.

"Someone mind explaining to the rest of us what's going on?" Shizuru asked, impatience leaking through her normally calm countenance. She voiced the feelings of everyone in the room, sans the two in question. The furtive glances that Botan and Kurama had sent each other didn't bode well with the others, if something was going on, they all deserved to know.

"I haven't been completely honest about myself up until now, but I'm ready to tell you guys everything. This is hard for me, so please just hear me out."

Shizuru's features softened upon hearing the girl speak. "It's alright, you can tell us."

"Yeah, we won't get mad," Kuwabara urged.

Botan smiled. "Thanks, guys. Well I should just get on with it." She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. "My name is Botan Takai."

Hiei's eyes widened and she continued. "My father was the sole owner of Takai Industries. My mother died when I was a baby, but my father remarried soon enough. He wasn't around as often as he liked because of business, and my step-mother wasn't exactly a picture-perfect role model. I assume she just married my father for the benefits and wealth that came with the name, all I could remember concerning her was the smell of wine and expensive perfume."

"One night my father arrived home earlier than expected from one of his business trips. The reason for his early arrival was simple: his next trip would last longer and he would end up missing my birthday. He only wanted to spend time with me while I wouldn't even listen to his explanations and had a fit. I remember feeling so upset that I refused to talk to him for the rest of the day. It seemed to me like he was always going off somewhere and leaving me alone, but I was never truly alone. I always had the presence of the helpers around the house to fill up the void." Her eyes softened at the mention of this and she continued. "Anyway, my father tried to console me, but I wouldn't listen. Later on in the night I went out to play with the butler, Satoshi, and yes Hiei, he's the same man who we met in Tokyo."

Hiei nodded upon hearing this, the missing blanks filling in one by one.

"By the time I had calmed down from my childish temper tantrum and returned home, all I could see were flames. The house was burnt down and everyone inside had died in that terrible fire. Suddenly, in that one night, everyone I knew was gone. Everyone except Satoshi. He left me in the care of Koenma's family and I grew up with them. A few days later the authorities revealed the truth behind the origins of the fire. It was no accident, the Vice President and his brother had orchestrated a whole plot to murder me. They figured if my father didn't have an heir, once he was gone the company would be theirs. They didn't realize that my father had come home early from a trip and that I wasn't in the house for the majority of that night, and that is why I still stand here today. The Toguro brothers, that's what everyone called them back then, were quickly caught and sentenced to life in prison."

"The media was never alerted to my whereabouts for protective reasons, and tabloids came up with all sorts of ridiculous stories surrounding what became of me. I wasn't allowed to display my full name in public, but even so, I would have never done it. Everyone I knew had been murdered because of me. I was their target and yet I'm still alive. It was my fault that everyone had died. Ever since that I night I felt like I didn't deserve anything of my father's. His wealth, his assets, not even his name. I was such a fool and I'll never be worthy enough to deserve all that he's left for me. If I could do one thing over, it would be that night. I said such horrible things to him and yet he just smiled back and said 'I love you.'"

"I tried to erase the past and forget everything because it was just too painful. I lost everyone I cared about in that one night and I was completely alone for the first time in my life. I thought I knew what loneliness was whenever my father was gone on his business trips, but at least then he would always come back to me. This time, he wouldn't return, and nothing would ever be the same. The pain of losing everyone along with the regret of not telling my father how I truly felt was too much for someone as weak as me. Completely ignoring my birthright and fortune seemed like small price in return for letting go of the pain."

Botan wiped away a stray tear that she didn't even realize had fallen. "I'm sorry I never told you all the truth. I didn't want you to look at me differently, especially not when I couldn't even look at myself knowing what I had done."

Silence filled the room for a few moments and Botan began to feel nervous. Were they disgusted with her? Ashamed, even? Appalled to be in the same presence of a woman who caused so many to die?

"As far as I'm concerned, your identity changes nothing," Hiei began, breaking the silence and filling her heart with relief. "And no matter what the circumstances, it was not your fault that everyone died that night."

"But I-"

"Hiei's right, you know," Kurama cut in. "The fault lies on the Toguro brothers, not you. They were the ones who committed such a horrible crime and they are the reason your friends and family are no longer here. There is no reason to call yourself unworthy of being your father's daughter."

"But I said such cruel things to my father on the night of his death, I'm not worthy of anything!"

"You were young, Botan. You didn't know any better," Shizuru said as she took her in her arms and hugged her, and Botan felt that familiar comforting presence, the same warmth she imagined a mother's embrace to contain. "I guarantee your father knew how you felt about him. He was your father, after all. He knows you better than anyone else." Shizuru rubbed Botan's back soothingly as the shorter girl began to sob. The brunette just stood there with a pained expression on her face, letting Botan release all the emotional baggage she bottled up over the years. It was long overdue.

It wasn't her intention to get so emotional, the tears just spilled out without fail. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't stop. This was all the pain she had been holding in since that terrible night occurred so long ago. She made no effort to cease her crying and just let it all out. The rest of them just stood there in silence, wrapped up in their own thoughts about the whole situation.

After a few minutes of crying, her quivering shoulders and her sobs died down. Was it really not her fault? Something deep inside of her was urging her that her father thought the same. An image of his smiling face popped into her mind. He was so strong, brave, and kind. He truly did love her and he would never want anything to happen to her. Maybe, just maybe, this is what he would have wanted. Botan released Shizuru and nodded with a determined look on her face. "You're all absolutely right," Botan admitted slowly. "It's time I stopped letting the past haunt me."

Shizuru's gaze softened and she rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. "That a girl."

Yusuke, who had remained quiet during this whole encounter, suddenly snapped his fingers. "Wait a minute, so you were the little girl everyone was talking about all those years ago?"

Botan nodded slowly as Yusuke continued. "I didn't know I was friends with a celebrity!"

"C-celebrity?" Botan stuttered.

"Yeah!" Kuwabara agreed. "I remember hearing stuff on the news about you all the time!"

"That's right. Baby bro used to watch the news every night when we were younger, declaring he would find you," Shizuru revealed. "You were his first crush. He used to go on and on about saving the Takai heiress. I can't believe I forgot about that."

Botan's shocked face suddenly melted into one of amusement as she teased him. "My hero!"

"Sis, did you really have to say all that?" Kuwabara turned to Botan as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "It was nothin' really…"

"Hn, so even back then you were still a fool. I'm not surprised," Hiei scoffed as he crossed his arms.

"Hey!" Kuwabara's eyes narrowed. "At least I cared. I bet you didn't even feel anything when you watched the news."

"I grew up in a piss poor orphanage," Hiei retorted indifferently. "We didn't exactly have a television."

Hiei's words hindered any of Kuwabara's counter-arguments. Although Hiei's past hadn't been news to them, they found out about it over the many years of working with him, it still didn't mean it was any less tragic.

"Way to ruin the mood, Hiei!" Yusuke commented after a long moment of silence and Hiei just shrugged his shoulders, apathetically. "Anyway, shouldn't we be more focused on the bigger picture here?" Yusuke pointed to the window and then crossed his arms.

"What are we going to do?" Shizuru asked as she took a peek outside of the window. "These leeches look like they'll do anything to get a good story."

Hiei frowned as he turned to Botan. "I thought you said your whereabouts were kept secret from the media, how were they able to locate you?"

"All of this must have been orchestrated by Yomi," Kurama mentioned grimly.

"Yomi?" Kuwabara bellowed.

"He figured out who I was a while ago," Botan explained. "Kurama warned that something like this would happen and urged me to tell you all. I guess I should've said something sooner. I'm really sorry guys."

"Don't sweat it." Yusuke waved her off. "I can partly understand where you're comin' from, Botan. This is why I don't go around introducing myself as Raizen's heir."

"You're still the same person on the inside, it's not like you've changed because of this," Kuwabara added.

"You guys are right. Now I feel a bit silly for making such a big deal about it," she giggled.

"I imagine it feels good to let all the secrets you've been holding in for so long out," Kurama commented with a small smile playing on his lips.

Botan quickly looked at Hiei and averted her eyes, remembering she had told him another secret earlier. "Y-yes, it does!"

Hiei just looked away, avoiding any double meanings the statement Kurama just said had. Sometimes he wondered how his partner always managed to say the most relevant things at the most ideal times.

"Is something going on between the two of you?" Kuwabara asked as he looked back and forth between the pair. Hiei continued to look in the opposite direction of the group, indifferently. It was none of their business and although he was doing everything he could to appear nonchalant, he could feel Kurama's eyes on him. Yusuke began to cough into his hand, trying to divert everyone's attentions off of the pair and Shizuru looked at him confusedly.

"No, don't be silly!" Botan laughed nervously, finally speaking up. "The real matter at hand is those reporters!"

"Just ignore them for now, they cannot get in. We'll worry about them when the time comes," Hiei advised with his arms crossed. "We should all get back to work."

--

Hiei sat in his office, not really paying attention to the screen in front of him. He knew Botan had been hiding something from her past, but he never fathomed it would of this magnitude. Even he, as an orphan had heard of the Toguro Brothers and the Takai Heiress, but he shrugged it off as something that didn't concern him. He never imagined somewhere along the line he would actually have her working right under his nose.

It was unthinkable, to say the least, but it didn't change the way he felt about her. She was still his annoying and bothersome assistant, no matter what her last name was or past entailed. She was still the same woman who was always so bright when everyone else was down and despite her ditzy nature, was quite intuitive. She was the same woman who came to know so much about him in such a short amount of time, and didn't think of him differently, instead she pushed him to do things he normally wouldn't do.

The fact that Yomi would resort to using an innocent bystander in his schemes infuriated Hiei, but he wasn't surprised. This was the same man who had used his own son as a tool to implant falsified reports into the Jaganshi Corp. information system. Using Botan's identity as leverage was exactly what Hiei would have expected the man to do. If Yomi had known about her, as Kurama and Botan claimed, and took no action, then Hiei would be both surprised and thoroughly confused.

The only question left was; what would he do now? In the past her whereabouts were kept a secret to ensure her protection, but the threat was long gone now. The brothers who had orchestrated the fire were locked up and there was no way they could escape their dismal fate. If her security wasn't an issue he could use to thwart any reports from being issued, he would just have to find other ways to distract the media. He was Hiei Jaganshi, after all, one of the most powerful and prominent tycoons in the industry. If he wanted he could pull a few strings and all would be back to normal.

Hiei looked out of the window and noticed the sun had already begun to set; casting an orange glow on the city. There wasn't enough time to fend off the disturbingly large crowd of reporters, seeing as the day's end was drawing near, meaning he would just have to properly deal with them tomorrow. He figured he could at least get Botan home safely and in the morning this whole mess would be cleared up. She would have absolutely nothing to worry about and her identity would not be broadcasted to the world. She was his employee and it was his duty to protect her from whatever Yomi had up his sleeve. He would prevent her from reliving the past and experiencing the pain she felt today.

He would make sure of it.

--

The rest of the day breezed by, and as much as Botan dreaded it, it was time to go home. She didn't want to face all those reporters just yet. She could almost see the flashes of lights and hear all the questions that they would bombard her with now.

Hiei had told her to alert him when she was ready to leave, so she gathered her things and quickly made her way over to his office. Before she could knock, the door opened and Hiei was standing there.

"Let's go," he said as he walked down the hall and she followed him.

"Hiei, how are we going to avoid all those reporters?" She questioned nervously. "We can't exactly just walk right out of the main entrance, can we?"

"That's exactly what we're going to do," he replied with a smirk. Botan's brow crinkled in confusion but she remained silent as they made their way towards the exit.

"What?" She yelped. "Are you mad? We can't possibly do that!"

Suddenly, the communication device rang and Hiei picked it up.

"We're ready when you are," Kuwabara's gravely voice said through the device.

"Go now," Hiei ordered and he continued to walk towards the doors.

Botan watched as he continued to walk to the door, fully well knowing all the reporters were just beyond it, and abruptly stopped unsure of what exactly he was planning. Was he trying to get her devoured by those story-hungry beasts? She suddenly felt very afraid, afraid of all their questions, afraid of the blinding lights, afraid of the world discovering who she was. When he noticed the sound of her footsteps had ceased altogether Hiei turned around to see her standing there, with a nervous look on her face.

He walked back to her, grabbing her hand and looking straight into her eyes, intent on dragging her out of the building if she insisted on remaining in the lobby any longer, but she just stood there paralyzed, staring at the exit with wide eyes. The look of raw fear contained within her amethyst orbs caused Hiei's eyes to soften somewhat and his grip on her hand to tightened reassuringly.

"Don't be afraid."

His voice seemed to soothe her fears somewhat and she held onto his hand more firmly, nodding slowly.

"I won't let them harm you," Hiei promised resolutely, and after hearing this she broke out of the stupor she was previously in, deciding to trust Hiei and believe his words wholeheartedly.

"I'm ready." She followed him as he guided her out of the building and as soon as they both stepped outside, they heard Yusuke's voice holler.

"I found Botan; she's at the back entrance!"

"Let's get her before she leaves, hurry!" Kuwabara wailed.

Soon enough all the reporters and cameramen turned their attention to the back of the building and began to dash over to where they believed their hottest story was, the sound of their shuffling footsteps rushing towards the back entrance. The commotion escalated and the shutters of cameras along with a barrage of questions were heard.

Botan breathed out a sigh of relief, putting a hand to her chest. "That was close."

"Yomi neglected to inform the reporters of your appearance," Hiei said simply. "They are searching for you blindly; they don't even know how you look."

"So, even he has some sort of moral standard," Botan mentioned but Hiei shook his head at this.

"Knowing him, this was just a warning. There will be more to come."

"Well that certainly can't be good." She frowned, her heart heavy once more. "I never meant to cause any problems for you. I'm sorry. If I wasn't-"

"Are you apologizing for being your father's daughter?"

Botan shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant at all!"

"Then stop apologizing for what you do not have control over. The blame isn't yours to take," Hiei said sternly. "This is a direct result of the media's fascination with obscurity and the lengths Yomi will go to feed his insatiable hunger for money; not your identity. Don't ever apologize for who you are."

Botan nodded her head in agreement. "In any case, I wanted to thank you."

Hiei just stood there, not understand what she was getting at.

"Thank you for not treating me differently after learning about my past. I was always afraid that once people knew who I was, they would act different around me. I'm glad that you aren't upset with me."

"We all have dark secrets that we would rather keep hidden," he began as he turned away from her, crossing his arms. He thought back to his own past and how he went to great lengths to protect his own secrets from the media. "The only thing I regret is that I let Yomi use you. I'm," Hiei paused, clenching his fists as he remembered the sight of her of her crying in his office earlier. "I'm sorry."

Botan's heart swelled upon hearing his statement, too shocked to say anything in return. He had absolutely no reason to apologize to her, how could he have possibly known that this would happen when he had no clue of her true identity?

She stood behind him, staring at his back in admiration. The image of him standing tall before her was etched firmly in her mind. His black hair, which contrasted greatly against the orange sun peering through the city buildings, pointed upwards and spiked in various directions, his piercing ruby eyes stared out fearlessly into the world ahead of him, and his arms crossed defiantly. He was so strong and he was never afraid. He knew what he wanted and went after it, never letting doubts hinder his ambitions. He had such unwavering power and pride, and sheer will drove him to become what he is now. If only she was half as determined as him, then maybe she would be better use to him at such a trying time. If she was stronger, maybe she could have prevented all of this from happening and he wouldn't be standing in front of her apologizing for something that wasn't his fault.

The truth of the matter was, she could only amount to so much. All she could do was faithfully remain one step behind him, much like right now, and continue to watch out for his well-being as best as she could. All she could do was be there for him and aid him in any and all ways possible. She resolved to make sure he would get through whatever hurdles Yomi through his way in the future, just as he had helped her today.

When she realized he still hadn't turned around and they were both standing on the sidewalk without saying a word, she finally opened her mouth to speak, eager to say just about anything to end the quiet that had enveloped them both. Before any sound came out of her mouth, however, the familiar sound of tires and the low rumble of the engine indicated that Hiei's car pulled up to the curb and stopped in front of them.

"By tomorrow all of this will be cleared up," Hiei informed, breaking the silence as he turned around to meet her. "My driver will take you home tonight."

Botan nodded. "Thank you, Hiei."

She opened the door and seated herself inside the spacious vehicle. He closed the door behind her with a nod and as the car drove off, she waved with a cheerful smile that seemed to light up her bright eyes. Hiei merely watched as the car got smaller and smaller and the distance between them increased with a rather proud look in his eyes. He couldn't believe such a carefree and optimistic woman had grown up surrounded by such pain. How she was able to smile so brightly was beyond him.

--

I'm coping much better with the loss now and writing this helped a lot. Thanks for your reviews and comforting words, they meant so much to me.

Originally this chapter was much longer, but I cut it into two parts. I will probably post the next chapter up soon since this and the next one were intended to be one whole chapter. I just didn't wanna overwhelm you guys with too much text, so here is part one!

I hope it didn't disappoint anyone! Next chapter is the second to last one, look forward to it!


	15. Goodbye

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 15: Goodbye

--

The next few days were hectic. Pressures had been building up and it was taking its toll on everyone. Work hours were increasing rapidly and the workloads went along with it. By now they were all running on coffee and energy drinks.

With all of this commotion Botan couldn't possibly expect Hiei to answer the question she had asked days ago. The farthest thing on his mind, on a completely stress-free and serene day was romance. It was only natural that during such demanding and hectic days his mind would be on work, and work alone. She would wait for his answer, not matter how long it took.

Much like Hiei, at this very moment, her main priority was this job. She wanted more than anything for things to go back to the way they were. If only they could get through this, if only they could overcome every obstacle Yomi and Mukuro threw their way, if only the days ahead were brighter than these, then she would be content.

She sighed as she watched another reporter escorted out of the building. None of them had figured out which woman was Botan, and thankfully Jaganshi Corp. was filled with its share of female employees. True to their well-known loyalty, none of the employees had spoken a word to any of the news reporters that had contacted them.

And true to his word, Hiei had gotten rid of the majority of the reporters but sometimes a persistent one would be found lurking here and there. It was beginning to get very unnerving. It seemed like no matter what they did there were people just waiting and hoping for them to slip-up and fall.

"Hiei, I'm really sorry about these stray reporters…" Botan apologized with a frown. "This is just another unnecessary problem you've had to deal with and if I hadn't-"

"Don't apologize."

"I just-"

"As far as I'm concerned the only ones who are at fault are Yomi and Mukuro," Hiei crossed his arms.

Botan was glad that he didn't blame her for all that was happening lately. The last thing she wanted to do was cause more trouble for him. If he didn't mind, then neither did she. "Okay, well I better get back to work."

She made her way towards the door of his office and stopped. "Everything will be okay, right?"

Hiei nodded slowly, unsure if he was lying to her or not.

"That's good to know. I believe in you," Botan said with a light smile. "We'll all get through this slump."

Before Hiei could answer, Kurama entered the room with an alarmed expression in his usually calm eyes. "There's an emergency meeting in ten minutes."

"What?" Hiei barked, his fists clenching tightly.

Kurama sighed and turned his back to Hiei. "Follow me."

Botan watched as the two left, before exiting the office as well. She bumped into Shizuru on her way back and grabbed her hand to stop her from returning to her desk.

"Is something the matter? Kurama and Hiei left in a hurry."

Shizuru's face fell upon hearing Botan's words and she crossed her arms gravely. "Yomi and Mukuro have merged companies."

"They what?!" Botan shouted incredulously.

"That's not all," Shizuru began. "Over the past few days they have been taking over smaller companies and gaining both wealth and influence. With this added boost, they probably intend take over this company as well."

Botan groaned. "And I thought it couldn't get any worse than this…"

Shizuru gave Botan a strained look and Botan frowned. "There's more isn't there?"

The brunette nodded. "Mukuro was in cahoots with the loan company where all of our debts derive from. It seems she can manipulate the interest rates at will."

"So the debts might increase?"

"Afraid so."

"Well isn't this just peachy," Botan muttered grimly. "I don't understand why they can't just be satisfied with what they've got. Hiei and Kurama worked so hard to build up this corporation, why can't they just leave them be?"

Shizuru put a hand on Botan's shoulder and shook her head. "I understand your frustration, but all we can do now is trust in their abilities."

"You're absolutely right."

--

Hiei sat at the head of the table with a scowl, tuning out most of what these bastards were saying. The meeting was filled with clients, shareholders, and other imbeciles, but more importantly, Yomi and Mukuro. They sat there with smug looks on their deceptive faces while the others voiced their concerns about his ability to run his own company.

"Are you all finished?"

They turned to him, some in shock, some in outright anger, and others with looks of indignation.

"I'm perfectly capable of running this company with or without your help. It would do you well to remember that."

We just want to know how you will remedy the situation," a gray-haired man interjected.

"That isn't any of your concern."

"We have been loyal clients of this company and the state it's in is shocking, to say the least," a burly man cut in. "We deserve the right to know what actions you will take to ensure this company's survival!"

Forget professionalism, these idiots were tugging at Hiei's last nerve. He crossed his arms over his chest and shot them all a glare that shut most of them up effectively. It was silent for a while until a timid voice spoke up.

"Perhaps you should consider job-cuts?"

Kurama frowned upon hearing this.

"No," Hiei refused sternly. He was by no means a benevolent person, but he did have a fierce sense of loyalty. He was just as faithful to his employees as they had always been to him. Doing something like this would go against his very being.

"It would offset a lot of expenses in the long run," another one agreed in a somewhat pleased voice as he stroked his beard.

Hiei willed himself not to get too angry with these buffoons. "I will not resort to that. Things have yet to become so dismal."

"You are not seeing the true severity of this situation, Mr. Jaganshi." Another voice claimed. "Or are you simply just not taking this seriously?"

Hiei snapped and he slammed his fist down on the table, shocking many of those around the room. "I'm not taking this seriously?"

"If you really cared about this company then you would consider the possibility of letting some people go. You seem to have more than enough employees under your wing."

Hiei clenched his fists. "So, to save you and your precious money I should dismiss my employees?" He shook his head. "I will not turn my back on them for a bunch of bastards like you."

Another one opened up their mouth to speak but Hiei quickly silenced him. "I will find another way. Don't ever waste my time like this again."

With that Hiei stood up and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

"I can see why you all doubt his abilities," one man muttered into his hand. "He is impossible to work with."

"He just doesn't understand how things work in this business," another one voiced.

"You are the ones who do not seem to understand," Kurama began and all the attention was on him. "Hiei has been working nonstop to save Jaganshi Corp. His ethics are strong and the very fact that he will not abandon his employees at a time like this proves just how great of a man he is." His soothing voice suddenly turned vindictive. "I would never expect any of you to understand him or his ways."

Kurama then stood up, his emerald eyes looking down on every one of them. "If that is all, I will be leaving as well."

"Meeting adjourned," Mukuro said with a smirk. She watched as Yomi strode confidently in the direction that Hiei most likely stalked off to, and she caught up with Kurama quickly, a smile on her face.

"I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

Kurama stopped in his tracks and turned around, meeting her amused smile with a calculating stare. Whatever she had to discuss with him couldn't be good.

--

Hiei willed himself not to lose the shred of patience he had left as he stalked down the halls. Those cougars had some nerve, but Hiei would never bend to their will. He was the owner of Jaganshi Corp, he had the authority, and he made the rules. He'd be damned if he let some money-hungry bastards take everything he worked for.

He was standing in front of the elevator, waiting for it to finally reach him, when he heard the shuffle of footsteps.

Yomi clapped his hands together as he walked towards him, the sound resounding within the empty halls. "Hell of a performance you put on back there, Hiei. Making them actually believe you care about your employees."

Hiei said nothing, keeping his eyes glued to the metal doors of the elevator, mentally willing it to open. Without Kurama here to check his rage he would surely do something rash. It would be better to keep his cool and shut his mouth.

"How did you like my little gift? Those reporters must have kept you busy, Hiei."

Hiei's ruby eyes snapped onto Yomi at the mention of the reporters.

"Leave her out of this," he threatened.

Yomi put a hand in his pocket. "I never told the media anything about her appearance, although I'm sure if I did, she wouldn't be hard to spot."

Hiei's eyes narrowed and he gritted his teeth in irritation. This man knew exactly how to rile him up and get his anger flaring. In any other situation he would have loved to put the bastard in his place, but at this moment, the matter at hand was bigger than the two of them. They were discussing Botan and her identity; he couldn't let his anger get the best of him or else Yomi would surely see her as his biggest weakness.

"She still has that outrageous blue hair and pink eyes, doesn't she?"

"What is your point? I'm growing tired of your presence," Hiei replied indifferently.

"I want you to get rid of her."

"…What?" His eyes were wide now.

"She could prove meddlesome in my plans for you and your company. Dispose of her and I will cease my dealings with the media."

The 'bing' of the elevator alerted them that it had finally arrived, and by now Kurama and Mukuro and joined them. Hiei stepped inside wordlessly, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back on the wall.

"I do not take orders from you or anyone else," he stated as Kurama followed him inside and pressed a button.

"All I ask is that you consider my proposition," Yomi said simply with a smile.

As the doors began to close, Hiei noticed Mukuro staring him down and waving at him with that familiar smirk on her face. He tilted his head to the left, blatantly ignoring her attentions, with a scowl. Kurama, who had watched the entire exchange without a sound, finally spoke up when the elevator doors closed.

"What was that about?"

Hiei frowned deeper in response, realizing what had to be done.

Kurama just sighed.

--

Botan watched as Yusuke and Kuwabara wolfed down the food before them. It seemed some things never changed, and for even this small bit of normalcy, she was glad.

"You boys are so charming," Botan muttered as she began to eat her lunch in a much more civilized manner.

"The ladies love it," Yusuke said through a mouthful of food. "You should see the way they throw themselves at me."

"I can only imagine," Botan replied with a roll of her eyes.

"You can keep your hordes of women, Urameshi." Kuwabara mentioned in between bites. "The only one for me is my sweet Yukina!"

"Speaking of lovebirds," Yusuke paused to take a gulp out of his drink. "Has Hiei given you an answer, yet?"

All eyes turned to her and Botan shook her head. "Things are too hectic right now, when everything cools down, I'm sure he'll say something."

"Always the optimist," Shizuru patted her on the shoulder. "I still can't believe you told him. I never guessed you would confess like that."

"You and Yukina were the ones who suggested it in the first place!" Botan exclaimed incredulously as she pointed her fork in Shizuru's direction.

"Yeah, but I never imagined you would take our advice."

Suddenly a sly grin found its way onto Botan's face. "You should do the same with Kurama. Times have changed, you know, it's a woman's prerogative to let a man know how she feels about him!"

At this Shizuru's brown eyes widened considerably and she shoved a forkful of food into her mouth, preventing her from retorting.

"Way to shut her up, Botan!" Kuwabara sniggered as Shizuru clenched her fists. Botan smiled sheepishly as she watched brunette clench the fork in her hand a bit too tightly.

"I've never seen her get shot down before!"

The girl at Botan's side began to narrow her eyes at her oblivious brother and Botan tried to warn him. "Kuwabara…"

"Would you mind teaching me your tactics later?"

"I think that's enough!" Botan cut in with a forced smile as she looked between the two siblings.

"It could really come in handy!"

She sighed. He was on a roll and any other attempts to stop him would be futile. She looked over to Shizuru and shrunk back when she noticed the dangerous smile that made its way onto the brunette's face.

"Maybe even-" Kuwabara made a strangled noise as he rubbed his head and shot his sister a dirty look, choosing to remain silent after doing so.

"You should learn to quit while you're ahead." The elder sister replied as she resumed eating, ignoring Yusuke's sniggering and the sympathetic looks Botan was giving Kuwabara.

--

After lunch they came back to their respective desks to find that Hiei and Kurama had already returned. Botan wondered how the meeting went, but decided she would finish her own work before inquiring about it. She sat down and looked over some documents before pulling up some files on her computer and examining them. Lately it seemed the whole world was against them; the clients, the media, shareholders, and the two most ruthless people Botan had ever met: Mukuro and Yomi.

They had ties with some shady companies and had no problem in causing more problems than Jaganshi Corp. could handle. It was only a matter of time before— no, Botan stopped herself from thinking anything of the sort. Hiei and Kurama were smart and they would definitely find a way out of this. There was no room for doubt in her mind when it came to them; they simply had to find a way out the mess they were in.

Just then, Hiei stepped out of his office. He looked at her with a strange expression on his face, but Botan dismissed it, unable to hide the excitement in her eyes when he came into view.

"Hello, Hiei!"

He merely grunted and made his way down the hall. Botan frowned as she watched him, wondering if the meeting had ruined his already volatile mood.

"Don't mind him, he is just under a lot of pressure."

"Kurama!" Botan exclaimed as she turned to see him standing there. "How did it go?"

"Not good," was all he said as he handed her some documents. "If you could finish these up, it would be a great help."

"Of course," Botan offered as she took them from him. "Is there anything else you need?"

Kurama shook his head. "Just hand it to Hiei when you have completed it all."

At that moment, Hiei returned. They both looked at him and he had that same brooding expression on his face and he briefly glanced at Botan. She smiled back but he just looked away and entered his office, without giving either of them a word.

"I feel like I'm walking on egg-shells around him sometimes," Botan confessed as she sighed.

"He doesn't blame you for any of this." Kurama looked at her seriously before continuing. "The only one he finds at fault is himself. Just continue to be there for him, and everything will be alright."

She nodded, still deep in thought and Kurama turned around, making his way into his office.

"Kurama…" Botan called. He stopped and turned to her, waiting for her to continue. "Please be honest with me. Is there still a chance for us to return things to the way they were?"

Kurama froze upon hearing this. He honestly wanted to tell her that everything would be okay, that he would find a way to salvage the situation, but if he was going to be honest to her, if he was going to be honest with himself, there was no telling what the future held for them. They needed a miracle.

His silence said it all and Botan found herself wishing she had never asked that question in the first place.

Finally he spoke up. "I am not going to tell you that everything will be alright, because as of now, the situation is truly dismal."

She felt her heart sinking with each word.

"But I can assure you, I won't go down without a fight."

Botan looked up at him and saw the determination gleaming out of his eyes.

"This company is important to me and the same goes for Hiei. It is everything to him, in essence, it's all he has in this world," Kurama began slowly. "If there is any chance to save this corporation, we will find it."

"That's all there is to it, then," Botan began, a small smile appearing on her face. His words were enough to bring hope in her wavering heart. "You both will just have to find the appropriate solution; we're all counting on you!" She cheered brightly.

Kurama, too, found himself smiling. "Of course."

--

About an hour later she had completed her task. She made her way into Hiei's office and found him sitting there, looking quite stressed. She was sure all of this stress couldn't be good for his health and suddenly found herself very worried about him. She wondered if he was even eating or sleeping properly under all this stress. It was up to her to cheer him up, so she put on her brightest smile and walked up to his desk.

"I've completed the documents Kurama gave to me," Botan said.

Hiei looked up briefly from his work to see her walking towards him. He had a hard expression on his face, something was bothering him, something other than the issues with the company. After working under him for some time now, she was able to figure that much out. She bit her lip as she contemplated what was bothering him, but quickly broke out of her reverie when she realized she had no clue of knowing what could possibly be wrong. The only thing she could do was brighten his mood, or at least try to.

"It will all be okay, you'll see!" Botan reassured as she placed some documents on Hiei's desk.

Hiei shook his head. "You might be able to cushion the shock of reality by living in denial, but I refuse to make use of such pathetic methods."

"It's called optimism, Hiei." She put a hand on her hip and sighed. "It wouldn't kill you to have some, you know."

"That's the main difference between you and me," Hiei began as he stood up from his seat. "In leaving Tokyo, dropping your last name, and losing all traces of who you were, you chose to continually run away from your problems. I remained true to myself and never rejected my origins. I refuse to let anything get in my way, and in order to do that, I have to face my problems directly."

She stared back at him, not understanding why he would bring up her past all of a sudden. After all of the reassuring times he told her that her past was negligible to him, it wasn't like him bring it up now.

"Your optimism is just a guise that allows you to carry on to running from your problems. But you can't continue to cover them up by saying everything will be alright, because most of the time, it won't."

That meeting must have taken a toll on him if he would talk about her situation so carelessly like that. She wondered any new developments came up, something that was possibly graver than anything that had happened lately. She figured she would let him slide, just this once. He was just taking his anger out on her; she was actually surprised he hadn't done so days ago.

"I'm through running from the past, Hiei. You all helped me to see that. I was only trying to comfort you."

"I'm really not in the mood for one of your pep speeches," he reminded. "So don't waste your breath."

"I was just trying to help!" Botan pouted.

"Maybe, you should just go."

"Alright," Botan relented, taking the hint. "I'll get back to my work."

"That's not what I meant."

She froze; something about the way he spoke to her was different. "What?"

"Maybe it's better if you leave for good." Hiei said sternly. "Clearly your presence here is another factor that Yomi has gained the advantage on. The extra effort I take in protecting your identity is taking a toll on me and in turn, you are jeopardizing this company."

It was for the best, Hiei told himself. If she stayed here, Yomi would surely divulge everything to the public eye. She didn't deserve to go through any of that. If cutting ties with her was the best way to protect her, then he was willing to make that sacrifice. As long as it meant she would be alright in the end.

"That's not fair, Hiei. I want to stay here. I want to help you," Botan said firmly.

"I don't want, nor do I need your help," he answered back.

"I know you don't particularly like help from anybody, but I-"

"You are just one woman, what do you hope to accomplish?" He said cynically and she flinched at his cold tone. "Did you believe you could achieve anything?"

"I just…" Botan trailed off, her resolve fading quickly. The way he was treating her, with such cold indifference, affected her more than he would ever know. She thought… she thought even if he didn't love her back, he would at least think of her as a friend. He was talking to her as though she didn't matter at all.

"You thought you would just come and make everything better?" Hiei laughed bitterly. "If you leave, I assure you, everything will be fine."

"I thought you changed," Botan muttered lowly as she watched him through confused eyes. "I guess I was wrong."

"I haven't changed since the moment I was born. Don't make the mistake in assuming because you were around you could somehow 'help' me."

She remained silent, letting his words sink in and he went on.

"The only way you could make a difference is by leaving," Hiei advised; his ruby eyes devoid of any emotion as he cut her down with his harsh words. "I'm tired of it all, Botan." He paused. "I'm tired of _you_."

Botan looked at Hiei, examining him thoroughly. She couldn't understand what had brought about this sudden change in behavior. This was not the man she had fallen in love with. Or was it? Was this his _true_ attitude? Was it all he thought about her? The callous way he looked at her at this moment answered all of her thoughts.

"I can't believe I even fell for someone like you." The words slipped out before she had a chance to think about them, but they were exactly what she was feeling.

Hiei smirked, his ruby eyes taunting her, coldly. "I cannot fathom why you expected me to return your sentiments."

"Of course, you're right. I was just being silly-old-Botan again!" She said indignantly with a bitter smile. Her amethyst eyes locked onto his and the hurt was evident within them. "I'll be out of your way, then. You won't have to worry about protecting me or my identity anymore!"

"Good."

"I can't believe I was so wrong about you, Hiei." The hurt was evident in her eyes and he just stared back at her. She turned around quickly, not wanting Hiei to see the tears that were beginning to accumulate. She said one last word before she exited the office. "Goodbye."

Hiei's chest restricted painfully upon hearing her dejected tone. He quickly hardened himself and pushed all thoughts of Botan and the pained look on her face out of his mind. It was for the best. He thought taking a jab at her past would cause her to get angry at him, but she remained calm and level-headed. She was stronger than he originally thought if she could recover so quickly. He had to resort to picking at her feelings for him and making her believe that he thought she was useless.

He sighed. He was a real bastard.

--

Botan quickly wiped the tears from her face as she hurriedly gathered things into her bag. She figured they would dispose of all the little decorations and trinkets she had, so she decided to leave them there. They weren't of any importance to her right now. She looked back at the pictures she posted up and, after contemplating leaving them there, began to take them down and put them inside her purse.

"Whoa where's the rush?" Yusuke said as he ran up to her. "Hiei coming to inspect our desks and make sure they're nice and tidy?"

Botan flinched at the mention of Hiei's name and she shook her head. "I can't work here anymore."

"What?" His once lax tone became serious within a matter of seconds.

"I just can't!" She repeated.

Yusuke grabbed her shoulders and looked at her square in the eye. "Tell me what's going on. Is it Yomi? If that son of a bitch is threatening you I'll-"

Botan shook her head. "No, it's not anything of the sort."

"Then what is it, Botan?"

She remained silent under his scrutiny.

"It's Hiei isn't it?"

Botan avoided his gaze and wrenched out of his grasp.

"Don't quit just because of some thoughtless things he might've said! Save yourself the regret in the morning and think first."

"Yusuke you don't understand," her voice broke off. All those cold words Hiei had said to her were rushing back into her mind and weighing down her heart. The way he looked at her as if she was nothing more than a burden, someone that simply didn't just matter, was etched into her mind forever. He didn't want her around anymore, she had become obsolete. "I can't stay here anymore. I have to leave!"

Before he could say anymore she dashed off, wiping the tears away that had been obscuring her vision.

"Botan!" He yelled and she didn't turn around once. Yusuke watched her form as it got smaller and smaller and he slammed his fist down on her desk.

"Urameshi, what's going on?" Kuwabara was at his side immediately.

Shizuru and Kurama who were walking down the hall caught sight of the duo and joined them as well.

Yusuke looked to Hiei's office door and growled. "It's all that bastard's fault." He stomped over to the office and all but flung the door open.

"What did you do to her?" He shouted.

Hiei remained silent and the others sure enough came inside the office as well, eager to know what had Yusuke so riled up.

"What did you do to Botan?"

"That's none of your concern." Hiei's ruby eyes didn't meander from the computer screen and he paid no attention to Yusuke or the others.

Upon hearing his indifferent tone, Yusuke marched up to Hiei's desk and grabbed his collar. In one swift motion he pulled him onto his feet, locking his eyes onto the tycoon. "She's my friend, damn it! And when you do something to upset her, I make it my business to know what you did so I can kick your ass appropriately!"

"I fired her."

"You what?" Kuwabara bellowed.

Shizuru stood there in shock and Kurama remained silent, the wheels in his mind already turning.

"She came with too many complications," Hiei answered uncaringly. "So I fired her."

"Oh I see," Yusuke said calmly as he let go of Hiei. The tycoon began to straighten out his clothes when all of a sudden Yusuke's fist connected with his face. The punch sent him staggering backwards and he put a hand to his face, turning his head upwards to glare at the black-haired man in front of him.

"Yusuke," Kurama began walking closer to the duo in fear that a fight might break out.

"Hiei pissed me off," he explained through gritted teeth, mocking Hiei's previous reasoning for firing Botan. "So I punched him."

Kurama's gaze was still on Yusuke and he rolled his eyes. "Oh, excuse me!" He began sarcastically. "I thought that was the way we do things here. You have a problem with someone so you act like a jackass!"

Yusuke then turned back to Hiei who by now, wiped the blood off his lip and stood up straight. "You knew how much she cared about this job, how much she cared about _you_, and you still threw her aside like she was nothing!"

"I fail to see your point in all of this."

Yusuke clenched his fists, itching to hit his boss again. "You're a prick," he muttered, his voice low and full of hatred. He walked towards the door and turned his head back in Hiei's direction, his voice quieter than before, but still enough to overcome the silence in the room. "I don't see how she could have ever loved someone like you."

Kuwabara rushed out after Yusuke and Kurama led Shizuru out of the office. Hiei just stood there, Yusuke's words reminding him of the very statement Botan had uttered before.

"_I can't believe I even fell for someone like you."_

He touched his face again, wincing at the discomfort. It felt good, in a sick sort of way, to get punched like that. He certainly earned it. If only Yusuke had stuck around longer, maybe he could have urged him to beat those incessant thoughts of Botan out of his head as well.

He did what he had to do, he would not feel regret over this. It was the right thing to do.

It was the _only_ thing he could do.

--

Two updates in one week! That is an all time record breaker for me! But remember this and Chapter 14 were intended to be only one chapter, so… this is like part two. The sixteenth chapter will be the final one. How sad. This fic needs to end soon, I published it so long ago! Finally it will come to an end.

Thank you for all the reviews and support; you guys are the greatest. After this is over I'm thinking of publishing a story I found on my computer a little while ago, taking place during the Dark Tournament. I really like what I have so far and I think I will publish it after this one is over. Don't get me wrong, I loved writing this AU, but I wanna go back to the YYH Universe already! Hehe.

Tell me whatchya thought about this chapter … and your thoughts about the Dark Tournament fanfic. Thanks again!


	16. Getting Over You

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts or Flashback_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 16: Getting Over You

--

Yusuke frowned as he stalked down the narrow and desolate hallways. Walking past the rows of empty cubicles, his brown orbs narrowed, briefly wondering if this was how the building would soon look if things didn't turn around. The whole floor was filled with nothing but silence, devoid of all life; empty and silent. Everyone was being called into the auditorium, courtesy of Hiei, and, of course Yusuke was running late. The CEO had something to tell his employees, and Yusuke could only guess it wasn't good news.

His eyes lingered over the cubicle that was previously occupied by Botan and he found himself beginning to miss her lectures and the way she nagged both him and Kuwabara whenever they decided to pull one of their pranks. It didn't feel the same without her. It had been a mere week without the bubbly assistant and her absence was painfully obvious. Yusuke sighed as he thought back to the day she left, along with the explanation he had received from Kurama.

--

_Yusuke had just rounded the corner when Kuwabara caught him by the arm, his firm grasp stopping him from leaving. Shizuru caught up to them moments later, watching with a frown as Yusuke jerked his arm roughly from Kuwabara's grip._

"_What do you want?" Yusuke asked irritably. _

"_Urameshi, what do you think you're doing?" Kuwabara berated, crossing his arms. "Sure, the shrimp gets on my nerves, but that doesn't give you an excuse to punch him!"_

"_If what he did to Botan isn't a good enough reason, then I don't know what is!" Yusuke countered, his fists clenched at his sides._

_Kuwabara sighed, unhooking his arms and placing a hand on his chin. "I can't help but think something strange is going on."_

"_I agree, bro. Something just doesn't add up," Shizuru interjected, her brows crinkled in thought._

"_Would you two give the ESP freak show a rest?" Yusuke exclaimed, looking away from the siblings and continuing in low voice. "He fired her for no good reason, that's all there is to it."_

_Shizuru rested a hand on her hip. "If you stopped letting your anger blind you for one second and open your eyes, you would see Hiei is clearly hurting too!"_

_Upon hearing this, Yusuke looked up at Shizuru, his eyes widening._

"_What she says is true," Kurama said, appearing from around the corner. They all turned their attention to him as he explained. "Hiei was forced to fire Botan in order to protect her from Yomi."_

_Yusuke remained silent, allowing the information to sink in slowly as Kuwabara let out a gasp._

"_I should have known he was behind all of this," Shizuru muttered as she shook her head._

"_I'm unsure if Hiei used the right methods or not, but regardless, he was merely trying to protect Botan the only way he knew how," Kurama finished._

_Yusuke sighed, the unfamiliar feeling of regret welling up in the pit of his stomach. "Well if he put it that way in the first place, I wouldn't have had to kick his ass!"_

"_You and I both know Hiei all too well," Kurama said with a smile. "He has his own unique way with words."_

"_Yeah, I guess he-" Yusuke stopped mid-sentence, watching as Hiei rounded the corner with some documents in his hand._

_The CEO stopped and looked over at Yusuke indifferently._

"_Kurama filled me in, and I just wanted to say," Yusuke let out slowly as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Ah, I was never good with apologies anyway so I'll just say it outright. I'm-"_

"_-If you're unable to speak coherently, then don't say anything at all," Hiei cut in._

_The corners of Yusuke's mouth tilted upwards slightly, realizing Hiei truly wasn't offended or upset. "Alright, boss, whatever you say."_

--

As he stepped out of the elevator and made his way into the room filled with employees, he accidentally bumped into someone.

"Hey, watch it!" Yusuke glared at the taller man in front of him defensively.

The man turned around to apologize, but his face lit up as he looked down at Yusuke.

"Shit!" The black haired boy blanched at the sight of the burly form in front of him. It was the same person who hit on him at the party a few weeks back.

"Our meeting today must have been the product of lady luck herself!" he said with a grin.

"Yeah," Yusuke muttered. "Bad luck."

"What was that?"

Yusuke gulped as the man stepped closer towards him. "H-haven't you ever heard of personal space?"

The man leered over him and licked his lips, placing a hand on Yusuke's shoulder. The usually bold and rebellious son of Raizen let out a whimper that sounded suspiciously girly. When he realized how cowardly he was being he toughened up. So what if this guy was looking at him like a piece of meat? So what if he was undressing him with his eyes? So what if he probably wanted to haul him over his shoulder, bring him to his place, and ravage him to his heart's content? Yusuke was a man, damn it! And there was no way in hell would he let someone else intimidate him.

"Hey buddy," Yusuke said with a glare, shoving the man's large hand off of his shoulder and giving him the finger. "Screw you!" He then proceeded to turn around and run in the opposite direction of his admirer. "And stop starin' at my ass!" He added for good measure as he disappeared into the crowd.

He could've sworn he heard the man holler back: "I like 'em feisty!" and nearly shuddered at the thought.

"Leave it to Yusuke Urameshi to make a scene when he enters a room," Shizuru mumbled as he joined them.

"Yeah well if we didn't have so many shady people working for us, maybe I wouldn't have to be so loud!" Yusuke replied, turning his attention to the front of the room.

"Whatever Urameshi, you're just a drama-queen," Kuwabara countered with a smirk.

Yusuke's eyes narrowed, but before he could open his mouth, Shizuru stepped in between the two men.

"As much as I would love to see you two make a fool out of yourselves, it will have to wait for another time." She said as she pointed to the front of the room. "Hiei's here."

--

Upon entering the room and making his way up to the podium, the bustle and chatter that was once bouncing off the walls had ceased. He wasted no time and upon receiving a nod from Kurama, he began.

"I'm sure you're all aware of the status of this company," Hiei paused and a few sounds were made. "I do not intend to hand it over to incompetent fools or share ownership with people who will stain my name."

"If I go down, I'll go down fighting—but that doesn't mean any of you should too. It makes no difference to me whether you leave or not, though it would be to your advantage if you start looking for employment elsewhere." His voice was stern and his eyes pierced into the crowd, cold and emotionless.

A shy hand rose in the air and Hiei looked over to the woman. After he nodded, she began to speak. "What if we don't want to leave?"

At this, Hiei froze. He expected sighs of relief and shouts of joy at his words, not confused faces and disappointment.

Taking note of the CEO's confusion, Kurama cut in. "Hiei is not ordering anyone to resign; he is simply looking out for our best interests. You are more than welcome to remain here, if you like."

Kurama's choice of words seemed too kind and Hiei merely grunted. He was by no means benevolent, nor did he particularly care for the well-being of others. The fact of the matter was, they were _his_ employees, and it was _his_ duty to lead them down the right path.

"So this isn't a roundabout way of firing us?" a man asked.

"It is not," Kurama answered with a small smile as the crowd visibly began to relax and their expressions became less dismal.

The relief that passed through the room didn't go unnoticed by Hiei and he realized he had hired idiots who clearly lacked the ability to grasp the severity of the situation. In all honesty, the company's end was inevitable. They would eventually be taken over by Yomi and Mukuro, and all he could do was push the inevitable off for as long as he could. Leaving would be beneficial to them, but instead here they were, determined not to leave, with those stupid smiles on their faces.

And to make matters worse, they actually thought he was going to fire them all in order to offset the numerous expenses and debt of the company. He may have been a coldhearted bastard but he was not a coward. He had his principles and he wouldn't allow others to take the fall for his slip-ups.

"We weren't called in here so you could enact some massive job cut?" Another voice questioned hopefully.

"The only reason for a dismissal would be a direct result of your own incompetence, and not because I needed you to pay the price for my mistakes," Hiei retorted, his fists clenched at his sides as he tried to keep his anger in check.

"This isn't your fault, you know that very well," Kurama said soothingly, reminiscent of a mother talking to her child and Hiei frowned. He was no child; he could see his mistakes when they lay in front of him, and right now his biggest mistake was underestimating Yomi's abilities.

"I should have been able to see through Yomi's schemes, plan ahead, and prevent them."

"Unless you can magically read the future, save yourself the guilt trip. There was no way to avoid this!" Shizuru cut in impatiently. "I'm sick and tired of hearing you and everyone else beat themselves up over what was bound to happen eventually."

He was not expecting anything out of Shizuru and quite frankly, it shocked him. He didn't let it show though, as he narrowed his eyes further, keeping that mask of anger on his face. "You wouldn't understand," he spat.

"Enough, shorty! None of us are blaming you so don't you dare go blaming yourself!" Kuwabara yelled in a strained voice.

Hiei opened his mouth to object, but Yusuke was quicker. "Don't you think we feel the same way you do? Useless and used… too pathetic to stop one greedy bastard and his bitchy sidekick!" His voice was raised higher than he intended, but he still got the message across. "We were all tricked by Yomi and Mukuro, and now we're the only ones who can fix this mess," he finished with a smirk.

There were murmurs in the crowd and Hiei looked to see his employees. As his eyes scanned over the room an odd sensation welled up in his chest. They looked determined and even a little rejuvenated. It seemed as though they honestly believed they were capable of repairing the damage that had been done. Their quiet whispers and mumbles escalated and soon he could hear words of encouragement and praises ringing through his ears. His eyes lingered for a few moments over the two women who usually fawned over him, as they outright declared their undying loyalty. Pretty soon the rest of the employees became as loud as them, cheering each other on and shouting phrases of support. He felt as if that foreign feeling would choke him and the whole situation suddenly became all too much for him.

"Enough!" He barked, and the room that was once buzzing with excitement became silent once more. "Don't come crying to me when things don't go as planned, because I already warned you in advance," he cautioned, his eyes clouded over in confusion and they could all tell he was in the mists of an internal battle with his emotions. Finding no more to say, he promptly left the room.

"And that was Hiei's way of saying thank you, from the bottom of his heart," Kurama said, unable to contain his mirth as a small smile broke out on his face. "You may all return to your stations."

Soon enough, the shuffling of feet and muffled voices could be heard exiting the room, but the group, sans Hiei, remained.

Yusuke spoke up first. "Hiei must be feeling pretty damn good about himself right now. A whole shitload of people just promised to stand by his side even though it could leave them jobless." His grin suddenly became mischievous. "Think of what he could do with all that power!"

"Urameshi, Botan was right. You definitely got some kinda evil demon blood pumping through your veins, slowly corrupting you," Kuwabara muttered as he eyed his black-haired companion warily. Suddenly the mood became sullen, at the mention of the former assistant's name.

"I wonder what she's up to right now," Shizuru murmured wistfully. Her wondering was cut short as a beeping noise invaded her senses. She began to dig in her pockets and then she pulled out a communication device. "Botan?"

"Bingo, it's me!"

"It's Botan?" Kuwabara asked incredulously as he and Yusuke ran over to Shizuru's side to peer inside the communication device. Kurama joined them shortly after making sure the other employees had left the room.

"Hello guys, it's good to see you all again!"

"We haven't heard from you since…" Shizuru trailed off, figuring it was best to leave some things unsaid. "Anyway, we tried to call, why didn't you pick up?"

"I've just been really down lately, but now all that is behind me," Botan confessed. "I can't stay and chat for long, but how about we all get together for lunch?"

"That sounds great," Shizuru replied with a smile.

"Oh and Kuwabara, would it trouble you if I asked you to bring Yukina along as well?"

"Yukina?" Kuwabara questioned eagerly. "Of course, I'll bring her!"

"I knew I could count on you! I'll call you back with the details later!"

"Right." Shizuru flipped the device closed when the connection ended.

"Should we tell Hiei about this too?" Kuwabara asked as he looked around at the others.

"It would be best to confirm that with Botan first, we wouldn't want to put her in a tight situation," Kurama recommended.

Shizuru nodded.

--

Botan had finished all the work she intended to do as she looked around the room. Hinageshi strolled in and pouted a bit as she walked through the threshold of the door.

"I don't like this, not one bit!"

"Hinageshi, don't be like that!"

"You could always come back to work for Koenma! You know he'd give you a job in a heartbeat!"

"Yes, I know." Botan smiled as she thought of her friend. "But I've been thinking, maybe all of this happened for a reason. I can do whatever I want now; choose a new profession, travel around the world, add some variety to this plain lifestyle of mine!"

"Whatever."

Botan just shook her head at the younger girl's insistence. She knew Hinageshi meant well and she appreciated it, but this was her choice.

When she left Jaganshi Corp. that day she was completely and utterly hopeless. It was Koenma and Hinageshi who brought her out of her daily routine of crying and moping. Koenma would visit often and as soon as Hinageshi came home she would try her best to cheer the sad girl up. One morning Koenma managed to turn her around.

_She had remained listless and lackluster the days following the incident at Jaganshi Corp. While she busied herself with tidying up the apartment and indulging in menial tasks and in the span of those few days, Hinageshi hadn't seen the girl smile once. When Botan was sleeping the redhead would come into her room to find her whimpering and crying in her sleep. It broke her heart and she tried her best to bring the girl to her senses, but it was all futile. Hinageshi even resorted to cooking Botan's most favorite meals, but the girl looked it over without a care. Koenma was their last chance and she couldn't help but cross her fingers as the man attempted to restore Botan to her formerly perky state._

"_Botan, you've got to snap out of this. As your former boss I order you to get up from that bed!"_

_When he was greeted with no response he sighed. He had expected a laugh or at least a small sign of irritation to show on her face, but there was nothing. She must have really loved him if he was capable of causing her so much pain._

"_As your bestfriend, I'm begging you come to your senses," he said seriously, and Hinageshi gawked at his sudden change in his demeanor. She had never seen him look so sincere in all the years she had known him. He was an immature brat most of the time and the way he was looking at Botan now only proved how close they had grown over the years. "I can't stand to see you like this."_

"_I know and I'm sorry," Botan apologized as she looked over at the two through sad eyes. "I just need time."_

"_Some things just happen for a reason, Botan," Koenma revealed. "We just have to look for the good in unfortunate situations."_

_Botan nodded mechanically._

"_Koenma's right, maybe this was a sign!" Hinageshi cut in. "At least now you know that jerk isn't worthy of you. You deserve someone a thousand, no a million times better than him!"_

_At Botan's silence, the girl continued._

"_So forget about him, he's just a mean, grumpy, selfish, jerk!" Hinageshi insisted. "Let's all have an 'I hate Hiei' party! I can buy balloons, Koenma can get a cake, and as the guest of honor you will receive lots of presents!"_

"_I can't hate him," Botan said softly._

"_What was that?" Hinageshi asked, getting caught up in her party planning._

"_I can't bring myself to hate him…" she admitted. "He was so cruel to me that day, but my heart won't allow me to hate him. I still…" she trailed off, not wanting the admit he rest out loud._

"_That's because you're such a kindhearted woman, Botan. You can't hate him because that's just the sort of person you are," Koenma insisted as he rested a hand upon her shoulder. "You don't have to hate him, you don't have to feel any contempt towards him. You just have to move on and let a new chapter begin in your life, without him clouding your mind or your heart."_

"_What if I never get over him?" She questioned moreso to herself than the two before her._

_Koenma chuckled snapping her out of her reverie. "That won't happen; you'll move on, eventually."_

_She looked up at him with hope in her eyes and he saw the corners of her mouth starting to turn upwards._

"_Besides, only a love struck fool continues liking someone when it's futile," he said smugly._

_At this Botan blinked and pointed at him. "What about your never-ending crush on Ayame?"_

_Koenma blanched and began shaking his head in protest. "I got over her ages ago, Botan!"_

"_No he hasn't," Hinageshi cut in with a smirk. "I saw him pinning over her just the other day at work!"_

_Koenma straightened out his posture and crossed his arms haughtily. "I have done nothing of the sort."_

"_You should've seen him, Bo!" Hinageshi used her hands to claw through her red hair and create a style similar to Koenma's and began mimicking him. "I love you Ayame, why can't you accept my sincere heart? You're the only one I'll ever love!" She continued spouting nonsense and making dramatic gestures._

_Botan let out a small giggle, unable to contain the obvious mirth Hinageshi's exaggerated actions brought her._

"_You both couldn't possibly understand the complex relationship we share." A faint blush appeared on his cheeks and he tried as best as he could to regain his composure. "And I am not pining over her, I'm merely…"_

"_A lovesick puppy?" Hinageshi questioned with a smirk, looking up at her superior with a haughty glance._

_Koenma huffed in response, crossing his arms indignantly. He threatened to deduct Hinageshi's pay and the girl began rambling on about unfair practices in the work place._

"_I guess we both have someone we can't get over," Botan said with a small smile, cutting Hinageshi's colorful rant off. "A couple of love struck fools, huh?"_

_Koenma found her smile infectious, even though it was only a fraction of what it used to be, and joined in. "You're absolutely right. And now that we know the diagnosis, we can finally seek a cure."_

_She nodded and her smile evolved into a full blown one now. She had all the people she needed right in this room with her. They would always accept her, no matter what, and that was all she needed to snap her back to reality._

_After a few hours of catching up with the two, Koenma left. Botan thanked Hinageshi for all she did in the past few days and flopped down on the couch, feeling relieved for the first time in a while. As she turned on the television she saw reporters flocked in front of Jaganshi Corp the smile that was once on her face was quickly erased. She gasped and her heart stopped when she saw Hiei amidst the crowd of newscasters._

"_Turn that thing off!" Hinageshi ordered as she sat down next to Botan and attempted to snatch the remote out of her hand._

"_I'm fine, I promise!" Botan promised as she held the remote out of reach, her tall stature proving to be advantageous against the shorter girl. She cast her gaze back onto the television and watched the scene unfold intently._

_Hiei was glaring fiercely at the reporters and she could tell he was using all the willpower he had to restrain himself. Kurama was at his side, with that same controlled expression on his face. In the background she could see Yusuke yelling at a few of the reporters and telling them to stick the cameras 'where the sun don't shine,' while Kuwabara and Shizuru just shook their heads. That's when she realized, she wasn't the only one going through hard times. All of her coworkers and friends at Jaganshi Corp. were working tirelessly to save the company, while she had been sitting around listless and hopeless._

_The camera panned over to Hiei and she could see how much this ordeal was affecting him. His glares, albeit cold to anyone who didn't know him, weren't as intense as they usually were. She could see he was tired of it all and he was putting on a front in order to assure the others. That's when she remembered what Kurama had told her: this company was the only thing Hiei could truly call his own in this world. It was everything to him and she wasn't about to sit by idly and watch him lose it all. _

_She had to make a change, and that was when she began setting her plans into action._

And here she was, a full week after her encounter at Jaganshi Corp, getting ready to meet her friends have a nice time at lunch. Everything was ready and she had nothing left to lose. Although life was unpredictable, she figured she could at least try and map out the best course, and go with it. Whatever came up on the way, she would deal with accordingly.

She fumbled around in her purse at the incessant beeping from the communication device. After flipping it opened she was greeted with Shizuru's face on the screen.

"Did you want us to invite Hiei, too?"

The smile on Botan's face faltered a bit at the mention of his name, but it went unnoticed by Shizuru. "Of course, he's welcome to come, though I don't think he would want to…" She thought back to the way he treated her in his office that day. It was obvious he had reached his limit with her, and no longer wanted anything to do with her.

"Hey, if you don't want him there, I won't ask."

"I'm alright, I promise!" Botan lied as she smiled sheepishly. "You don't have to worry about me."

"When you say that it just makes me worry more," Shizuru admitted and Botan's smile became genuine. Dealing with Kuwabara all these years must have given her some mother-like qualities. Her concern was heartwarming, especially to someone like Botan who never had a mother figure in her life.

"Thank you, Shizuru."

"Huh?"

"Just thanks, for everything." Botan then proceeded to give Shizuru the directions to the café, along with the appointed meeting time. "I'll see you then!"

"Bye."

Botan sighed as she flipped the communicator shut, wondering if Hiei would come. As usual, the majority of her thoughts were about him, and there was some small part of her hoping that he would be thinking about her, too.

"Get a grip!" Botan said as she shook her head, knowing she was probably the last thing on his mind, if she was even on it at all.

--

Hiei was in his office and as he sat, his mind was still on the meeting that was just held. He couldn't get the image of his employees smiling, despite all the long hours and effort they had put into a seemingly worthless cause. Their determination and bright optimism reminded him of the very woman he had been trying to push out of his mind. He couldn't help it as his thoughts wandered back to Botan, and found himself wondering if she was alright. He told himself she should be fine by now. She probably loathed him at this point, and he couldn't blame her. It was what he intended, after all. The only thing he couldn't understand was why, even after a whole week of not seeing her, had that annoying feeling not subsided. Just about everything he looked at had some sort of connection to her, and whenever he was with the others, the conversation, at one point or another, would drift towards her.

He decided to get something to eat or drink to distract himself. Kuwabara was in the cafeteria munching down on some sweets when Hiei spotted him. Not wanting to sit next to Koto (or was it Juri?) who was waving frantically at him, he decided to go against his better judgment and take a seat at the table the orange-haired man was occupying.

"Oh hey, Hiei."

When the CEO didn't even acknowledge Kuwabara or the fact that he just spoke, the latter grumbled something about manners and took a bite out of his muffin. It seemed as though the two would eat in silence, which would probably be for the best, seeing as they couldn't hold a normal conversation without bickering. That is, until Hiei asked something quite unexpected.

"Your words earlier," Hiei began bluntly. "Did they hold any value?"

His question cut through the silence like a knife and Kuwabara looked up from his food and stared at Hiei quizzically, his eyebrows shot up in disbelief, as though his ears were playing tricks on him.

Hiei hadn't intended on making conversation with Kuwabara, it merely slipped out. The meeting that took place earlier was still fresh in his mind and he could almost hear the sounds of his employees buzzing with excitement. From the looks of his employee's gaping mouth and utterly dim expression, his words were in vain. He should have known not to speak in the first place.

"Forget it."

"No!" Kuwabara said suddenly, his wide eyes returning to their normal state and the confusion diminishing somewhat. "You just caught me off-guard, is all."

Hiei remained silent and Kuwabara continued.

"Of course I meant it," he said sheepishly. "I know we don't always see eye-to-eye, but I'm on your side. We all are."

"Hn."

"You know, it wouldn't kill you to show a little more gratitude," he mumbled. "I mean, we all told you how we honestly felt and you just stormed out."

"I never asked any of you to do that."

"That's not the point!" Kuwabara sighed. "We didn't say all that stuff back there because we wanted your gratitude; we said it because we wanted to."

"I fail to see your point," he said flatly.

"Have you ever thanked anyone before?" Kuwabara pressed. "Other than my sweet Yukina, of course!" Upon receiving Hiei's cold glare he corrected himself: "Uh, _your_ sweet sister, Yukina!"

"No, I haven't." It was a lie, and he knew that all too well. He had thanked Botan for butting into his affairs, sticking her nose in his business, and getting him to reconcile with his mother. It was the most gratitude he ever felt towards a person in his life and the phrase 'thank you' didn't do justice to his appreciation. It was the first time he had ever felt indebted to someone and it was all because of _her_.

And just like that, his mind wandered off and he began to wonder what she was doing. It was infuriating.

"Hey, you okay?"

Hiei merely rolled his eyes. It was all Kuwabara's fault that he was thinking about her in the first place. If he hadn't spouted all that nonsense about appreciation and gratitude, he never would have thought back to her.

Hiei chose to ignore him and began eating his food.

"Anyway, like I was saying, a simple thanks or some kinda encouragement goes a long way!" Hiei's glare directed towards Kuwabara went unnoticed and the man continued. "I mean, do you realize how many extra hours I'm putting in on this job? I barely see Eikichi anymore! She gets so lonely without me."

The CEO shot Kuwabara a disgusted look and Kuwabara frowned.

"Don't look at me like that, you've got a pet too, don't you?"

"…"

"Yeah, that dog. The one Botan calls her baby!"

Hiei's eye twitched. Once again the conversation drifted back to her.

"You guys should probably give it a name. Botan would probably name it something wimpy like 'Daisy,' maybe you should name it." Suddenly he shook his head. "On the other hand you might end up naming it something deranged like 'Killer.' Just leave it to Botan."

Glaring, Hiei stood up. He had completely lost his appetite and his original reason for coming to the cafeteria— getting Botan out of his head —had become obsolete.

"Was it something I said?"

--

Yusuke was directly in front of Kurama's office door. It was closed, but he strained to hear the events that lie beyond it. When Hiei came out of his office and saw Yusuke standing there like a fool, he raised a brow.

"Kurama and Shizuru are in there… I'm trying to find out if they did the deed yet."

Hiei snorted.

"Don't tell me you're not the least bit curious!"

"Who he sleeps with makes no difference to me," Hiei said, clearly disgusted with Yusuke's antics.

"If you overhear something you can use it against him…" Yusuke coaxed and Hiei suddenly found the prospect of spying very profitable.

It would be to his advantage to hear some dirt on the fox, after all, Hiei bet that Kurama never had anyone turn the tables on him before. He had been outwitted by him one too many times, and maybe if he heard something substantial here, he could be the one wearing that self-righteous, pompous grin. After making sure no one else was watching—it would seriously damage his reputation if an employee caught him sneaking around like a child— Hiei stepped closer to the door and tilted his head slightly towards it. He refused to crouch down on the floor and press his ear against the door like some sort uncivilized goon, as Yusuke had been doing at this very moment. All heard was muffled voices, and he began to frown. He couldn't hear anything of importance and this was turning into a waste of time.

"This is a ridiculous," Hiei said as he straightened up. "I suggest you get back to work."

Yusuke looked up from his crouched position as he waved Hiei off nonchalantly. He should've known not to invite Hiei in his little escapades. "Botan was a much better spying partner than you, anyway," he added lowly.

At this Hiei shot him a glare and stalked into the confines of his office.

"…Was it something I said?"

--

The moody CEO was beginning to think he would spend the rest of the afternoon without any distractions, but upon hearing the familiar knocks at his door, ones that he could only recognize as Kurama's, he sighed.

"If this is about Botan I don't want to hear it," Hiei warned.

Kurama stopped in his tracks and gave Hiei a quizzical stare. "If I didn't know you any better I would assume you had some sort of telepathic abilities," he said amusedly. "Unfortunately, for you, it is."

He should have known it would be about _her_, fate had a wonderful way of pissing him off lately.

"We're all meeting up with Botan for lunch," Kurama began. "She says you're welcome to join, if you'd like."

Upon being given an open invitation to meet her, Hiei felt a swirl of emotions hit him: happiness, pain, and longing. He shook his head, deciding all his efforts to separate himself from her would be undone if he saw her today. He needed more time, more time to rid himself of the ridiculous feelings he felt for her. More time to get her properly cleaned from his mind and heart. More time to completely forget everything he had ever experienced with her and get over this period of misjudgment in his life.

"I'll pass."

"Very well then, I've written down the location of the café, just incase you change your mind," Kurama said as he placed a piece of paper in Hiei's hand. "We're all leaving now, if you choose to join us, you're more than welcome to." The redhead then walked out of the office, leaving Hiei to his own thoughts.

Without looking at the note, Hiei crumpled it up and tossed it into the wastebasket. As he walked back to his desk he frowned. Resting on top of a document was the silver dragon paperweight that she had bought and begged him to keep, despite his abhorrence for such futile things. It seemed to shine and glisten on his desk as the rays of the sun reflected off of it. Whenever he thought he could forget about her, something would be there to remind him of her bright presence. It was like fate was mocking him. His eyes narrowed and he picked it up, examining it.

By all means he shouldn't have even kept it. They traveled to Tokyo together and she bought souvenirs for the others, who hadn't had the pleasure of being there. Souvenirs were useless items that people brought back from trips, if only to taunt and tease others with as if saying: "While I was gone on vacation, you were stuck here doing work. But here's a present to remind you that I thought about you and your misfortune."

He went with her to Tokyo, and if he wanted something there he could have purchased it himself. The fact of the matter was: he didn't need anything. Yet she insisted and he crumbed to her will, as usual. She made him so damn weak, it was revolting.

Deciding to rid himself of everything that reminded him of her, he stalked over to the wastebasket with the paperweight clutched firmly in his grasp. His hand hovered over the garbage and he found himself hesitating.

"_If all else fails I could use it to knock some sense into certain fools."_

_A smile. "I'm glad you think so."_

The image of her smiling when he revealed that he would keep her present was suddenly very prominent in his mind. She was so happy, for such a meaningless reason. It baffled him, and yet he found himself pleased that satisfying her was so effortless. Everything he had ever done for her was small and meaningless and he could tell it made her happy. He didn't want to forget anything about her and that one sentiment became clear to him in this moment.

Retracting his hovering hand, he groaned. As he walked back to his desk, he set the dragon down in its former position, albeit more forcefully than he intended.

In the end, he couldn't get rid of it.

Just like how he couldn't get rid of _her_.

--

I know this was supposed to be the end, but when I finished the whole thing, it was long as hell! I decided to cut it into two chapters, so here's the first half! I'll probably post the second half tomorrow or sometime this week.

Sorry that there was no H/B interaction! Hm, now that I think about it, the only "couple" in this chapter was Yusuke x Gay Admirer [yeah I haven't given him a name]! [bursts out laughing] I just love torturing poor Yusuke. =P

But at least you can see how Hiei and Botan are without each other [cough miserable cough] and I personally find Hiei's struggles to get her out of his head hilarious.

Well, that's enough ranting for one chapter, don't you think? I hope you liked it! And if you did, please leave a review!


	17. The End

Unpredictable

"Talking"

_Thoughts or Flashback_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho!

Chapter 17: The End

--

When the group met up with Botan, Kurama could clearly see her eyes scanning for any sign of Hiei. This seemed to go unnoticed by the others as they began to exchange their greetings after not seeing her for a week. After Kurama greeted her properly, he pulled her aside to talk in private. He could feel her curious eyes boring into his back as he led her a few feet away from the others.

"Is something the matter?" Botan asked nervously, remembering that Kurama had the uncanny ability of making her say things she had not previously want to reveal.

"Hiei is too stubborn to admit this to you himself, but…" Kurama began as Botan looked up at him expectantly with her amethyst eyes. "He never meant a word of what he said before."

Botan shook her head. "You don't have to do that, Kurama. I know how he really feels about me. In the end it was just one-sided."

"You don't understand," he said. "Yomi threatened him."

"What?"

"Ever since Yomi realized who you were, you became a serious foil to his plans. He needed to separate you from Jaganshi Corp, and so he threatened to expose your identity if Hiei didn't cut ties with you."

"That's why he said all those hurtful things?" Botan asked, slowly absorbing all the information. "That's why he pushed me away? It was all for my benefit?"

Kurama nodded.

"But why… why didn't he just tell me!" She was clearly frustrated with the sudden turn of events. "I don't care anymore if Yomi tells the whole world who I am! It doesn't matter anymore." The frown that was on her face vanished and her face became more solemn. "Why does he always insist on facing things alone?"

"It's just the way he is," Kurama revealed. "He wouldn't want something terrible to befall you just because of your connections to him."

Upon hearing this Botan's heart softened. Pushing her away with cold words was something Hiei would definitely do, and the fact that he did it all for her, for the sake of her identity, made her feel better. "I thought he was just tired of me," Botan admitted softly. "Knowing this makes me feel a lot better. Even if he doesn't feel the same way about me as I do for him, at least he doesn't hate me."

Kurama opened his mouth to correct her, but Yusuke interrupted the two.

"As much as I love waiting for you two to be finished talking and standing on the corner like an idiot, my poor ears can't take anymore of Kuwabara's awkward love confessions. Hurry up and lead us to the café, Botan!"

She immediately brightened. "Right!"

Suddenly things didn't seem so bad anymore. The weather was great, she was about to enjoy a nice lunch with her friends, in which she had a few devious plans up her sleeve, and Hiei didn't despise her. All the worries in her heart seemed to vanish and her bright and bubbly countenance was in full bloom. Plus, right about now Jaganshi Corp should have received a little present from her. Her smile widened when she thought about how happy everybody would be.

--

Hiei turned his attention away from his computer when an employee ran into his office. It was one of the members that worked in the financial sector of the building, and he was quite exasperated. As the man paused for a moment to catch a breath, Hiei observed him through cold eyes, wondering why he didn't even bother to knock or announce his presence before barging in.

"We've… we've been saved!" he exclaimed. "This is nothing short of a miracle!"

"What?"

"I didn't believe it myself, at first. I double checked—no, triple checked, just to make sure!"

Hiei stared at the man before him impassively and waited for him to say something of coherence. His initial suspicions about all of his employees being nothing more than a bunch of idiots was beginning to become a concrete fact.

"We received this envelope today in the mail, and when I opened it up, there was a check from an anonymous sender. Someone donated a large sum of money to us!"

"Let me see it."

The man nodded excitedly and handed it over to Hiei. As Hiei took it, he waved his hand dismissively, and the employee took his leave.

As he opened the flap, his eyes immediately widened. "What's…"

--

"…the meaning of this?" Shizuru asked stubbornly as she eyed her finger. Botan had just taken Shizuru's hand and placed something on her pinky. Without so much as an answer, Botan turned away from Shizuru and leaned closer to Kurama, placing something on his pinky as well. They both looked down to find a red threat tied to their fingers, connecting them.

The blue-haired girl couldn't help but giggle as the two looked at each other in confusion and then stared at her with matching expressions.

"Hey, I know what that is…" Kuwabara trailed off as he pointed to the single red thread. "It's the red string of fate!"

"Bingo, you always were well-versed in the more romantic aspects of life, Kuwabara!"

"The red thread of what, now?" Yusuke asked, utterly confused.

"The red string of fate," Botan corrected. "They say it connects two people who are destined to be together!"

"That's got to be the biggest load of bullshit I ever heard in my life!" Yusuke countered.

"It is not!" Botan protested. "I believe in it wholeheartedly!"

"Yeah, so why isn't there a piece of string on my finger, or yours?" Yusuke held up his pinky finger and pushed it in front of her face.

"It is there, you just can't see it!" Botan clarified. "It's invisible."

"So, if it's invisible, how do you know it's red?" Yusuke responded with a smirk.

"You just know, Urameshi," Kuwabara began with a thoughtful glance in Yukina's direction. "It's the very thing that tied me to Yukina!" The said girl merely smiled, a small blush adorning her face as Kuwabara began to praise her with compliments.

"Oh, not you too, Kuwabara!" Yusuke moaned as he slapped a hand to his face. "I should have known."

"In any case, I don't see why you put this on us, Botan," Shizuru muttered defensively.

"What ever are you talking about? I did no such thing!" Her amethyst eyes were opened wide in innocence.

"Botan, you just-" Kurama began but was quickly silenced.

"-It isn't kind to accuse people without evidence, Kurama!" She cut in indignantly.

"I watched you put it on Shizuru's hand and then slip it onto mine," Kurama insisted firmly. "We all witnessed it."

"Gee, I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't see a damn thing," Yusuke lied, grinning cheekily.

The tied duo turned to face Kuwabara, but realized he would be no help. The boy was too enthralled in his explanation of the 'red string' and how it brought him to Yukina to back his sister and boss up.

Botan smiled victoriously as the two sighed in defeat and she led them to a table. "It's best not to mess with fate; you don't know what kinds of disastrous effects might occur!"

Shizuru threw a half-hearted glare at the girl and moved her hand to untie the string. That is, until Kurama placed a hand on top of hers.

"We wouldn't want to mess with fate, now would we?" He asked with a playful glint in his eyes.

"But how are we supposed to eat?" She asked in a frustrated tone, more angry at herself for allowing herself to feel slightly happy because Kurama didn't object to being tied down to her.

"We'll just have to scoot closer," he reasoned as they both sat down and he pulled her chair closer to his effortlessly.

"This is ridiculous," she mumbled in attempt to hide the blush that grew on her cheeks. Kurama remained silent, but the self-satisfied smirk on his usually calm face said it all.

Botan smiled at her work and clapped her hands together. If she had resorted to such drastic measures when she was working at Jaganshi Corp, they would have gotten together already! She glanced around to see Kuwabara fawning over Yukina and the only one who seemed to be out of place was Yusuke. She would have to find someone for him and all her work would be complete.

The waitress came up to them and asked for their orders.

"Keiko?" Yusuke exclaimed, his brown eyes widening in shock.

"Yusuke!" The girl answered as the initial surprise slowly melted into happiness.

'_Bingo_!' Botan thought with a grin.

--

By the end of the meal, Yusuke and Keiko had gotten acquainted again. As the brunette brought the bill over to them, she purposely handed it to Yusuke, just as Botan had instructed. Keiko found it strange that Botan asked her to place a red string inside, but she thought nothing of it as she gave Yusuke the bill and made her way back to other tables.

He opened up the small booklet and found the bill placed securely inside on of the pockets. But that wasn't what caused his eyes to widen and made him stutter. In the left pocket of the booklet was a red string. He looked up from the bill and watched Keiko and then looked back at the thread.

"What's the matter, Yusuke?" Botan asked innocently as she leaned closer and peered over at the bill.

"Oh my, it seems Yusuke has an admirer!" Yukina revealed as she, who was seated on the other side of the boy, glanced down at the red string.

"Yusuke and Keiko sitting in a tree…" Botan began to sing joyfully.

"Shut up!"

"Are you blushing?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yeah bro, I think he is," Shizuru answered.

"I said shut up!" He yelled, causing a few people to stare at them.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you liked her!" Botan teased. "Mind filling us in?"

"She's just some girl I went to high-school with. She moved here a few weeks ago and works at the cafe part-time until she can find a more suitable job."

"Well, I guess the red string of fate strikes again! It brought you two together and she obviously feels the same about you if she would put such an obvious clue there!" Botan assured.

"Perhaps Botan is right," Kurama agreed, fully well knowing Botan was the one behind this incident. He owed Yusuke for going along with Botan's schemes earlier, anyway.

"Confess your love, Urameshi!" Kuwabara urged. "You can't stay a bachelor forever!"

"Don't let her get away a second time!" Botan encouraged.

Yusuke drowned all of them out, his eyes following the one person who he wouldn't mind being tied to by a stupid red thread. He had missed her after all these years and too often found his thoughts drifting back to her. It couldn't hurt to give it a try, right? Suddenly the urge to reconnect with her swelled in his chest and Yusuke slammed his hand down on the table and pushed himself up from his seat. He heard Botan cheering for him and Kuwabara whistling in the background as he set his sights on Keiko and marched up to her confidently.

"I hope it goes well," Yukina said as she looked over to Botan.

"I'm sure it will," she answered with a wink, the smile never once fading from her face.

Their attention turned towards Kurama as his communication device went off.

"Alright, I'm on my way," Kurama said as he closed the connection and looked back at the group. "There is some business I must attend to. I'm sorry that I couldn't stay longer, Botan."

"Oh, that's alright!"

"I guess that means I can finally remove this thing," Shizuru said as she unhooked her finger from the thread. She looked to Kurama expectantly, but he made no move to remove the thread from his finger and she found herself blushing.

He stood up, after telling the others he would see them at work and as soon as he reached the exit, Botan stopped him.

"I-I just wanted to say… thanks for looking out for me and keeping my identity a secret."

"Think nothing of it," Kurama smiled. "And I really am sorry that I have to leave so soon. Hopefully this will not happen next time."

"Next time…" Botan echoed uncertainly as she looked up at Kurama and nodded hesitantly.

He eyed her suspiciously, noting that something was off with her, but before he could say anything she had wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug. "Goodbye, Kurama," she said slowly in a much more serious tone.

Before he could even respond to the hug, she let go of him and she quickly replaced her sorrow with a sheepish laugh. "Go on, now! We don't want to keep clients waiting!"

"Right," he murmured as she all but shoved him out of the café.

--

After meeting up with clients and taking care of a few errands outside of Jaganshi Corp., Kurama returned. It was a long and trying day, indeed, and he was ready to retire to his own office and take care of some paperwork. That is, until he was alerted that Hiei wanted him in his office. As soon as Kurama made his way into the office, instead of being greeted, like any normal person would do, an envelope was shoved roughly into his hands.

"What is this?"

"Open it."

Kurama did as Hiei ordered and pulled the slip of paper out of the envelope. It was a check made out to Jaganshi Corp and upon glancing at the amount written on the line, he stared back at Hiei in disbelief.

"I don't believe it. This is-"

"Yes, it is more than enough to offset our debts and interest."

Kurama's emerald eyes were glued to the check, examining it intently. "That's true-"

"And the remaining sum can be invested to prevent something like this from ever happening again."

"Naturally, but it-"

"I understand; it is astonishing, but would you look at the bigger picture? Who sent it and why? This could be another trick."

"That is what I've been trying to inform you," Kurama revealed. "It's from Botan."

"What?"

"This is her handwriting, isn't it?"

Hiei snatched the check back from Kurama's hands and looked it over, mentally berating himself for not realizing it sooner. "You're right."

The room was silent for a while, until Hiei began to speak once more.

"I can only assume this money is from her inheritance."

"Why would she…"

"You know the answer to that well enough," Kurama said. "She only wants to help."

"That fool," Hiei muttered. "Doesn't she know if Yomi catches word of this, he will set his sights on her?"

"She is well aware, I'm sure, and she probably does not care about the consequences," Kurama revealed. "She is far stronger than she looks."

Hiei stalked over to his phone and picked it up, pressing the buttons harder than needed.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm asking her what the hell she thinks she's doing!" he snapped and Kurama sighed. The whole reason he ran her out was because of Yomi, and now she had inadvertently gotten herself in trouble. Everything he did was for nothing if he used the money she gave him. On the other hand, Hiei was never one to accept help from others, and something as large as this was definitely out of the question. His pride wouldn't allow it.

"Hinageshi, here!" A chipper voice sounded at the other end of the line.

"Where is she?" Hiei barked, not bothering to waste time with formalities.

"Where is … who?"

"Botan, you idiot!"

"There's no need for name-calling, geez," Hinageshi murmured and then winced upon hearing Hiei growl. "She's gone!"

Hiei didn't even want to fathom the implications of that one phrase. He chose to believe it meant she was out on errands or something trivial like that, but he couldn't ignore that sinking feeling in his chest. "Tell me where she went," Hiei demanded.

"I-I can't say it! I'm sworn to secrecy."

When it looked as though Hiei was about to break to phone, Kurama took it from his hands and picked up the conversation.

"Please, we need to speak with her, it's urgent," Kurama insisted.

"Oh, what the hell, I was against her leaving in the first place!" Hinageshi declared defiantly.

"Go on," Kurama urged and Hiei briefly wondered how Kurama was able to get information out of people so effortlessly.

"She's going to America. Her flight is today and she wouldn't even let me or Koenma see her off."

Hiei clenched his jaw shut, the girl's voice loud and clear; her message ringing through his ears. The sudden news caused a wave of emotions to pass over him, but as usual, he was determined to act as though nothing fazed him.

"What time is the flight?" Kurama questioned.

"The plane takes off at 6:30. If you hurry, you can make it."

"Understood."

They both hung up and Kurama turned towards Hiei. "We must hurry, it seems as though time isn't on our side at the moment."

When he didn't budge, Kurama sighed, somehow knowing this would happen.

"I'm not going."

"Hiei, she's leaving. You aren't even going to make amends?"

"Have you become deaf all of a sudden? I already said it once, and I won't say it again," Hiei snapped irritably.

"Is this what you really want?" Kurama's intense gaze was locked onto him, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't feeling a bit unnerved. That was the impression the usually calm and collected redhead left on you when he was serious, and that was one of the sole reasons why Hiei decided to keep him close to his side all these years. "Forget about the situation we're in right now and forget about everyone else but yourself. What is it that you truly want?"

Hiei looked back at Kurama, glaring at him just as intensely. The moment he heard that she was going to America, it became clearer than it ever had before. He wanted her. But, if getting what he wanted meant that she would be at risk, then he was more than willing to give her up. She would move on and find someone else, and he would go on living like he normally did, without any emotional attachments.

"It must have been a simple case of lust then," Kurama concluded, his gaze softening.

Hiei looked at Kurama as the redhead nodded, seemingly speaking to himself more than to Hiei, and for some reason, the fact that Kurama would even mistaken his feelings for something as simple and primal as lust angered him.

"Yes, that must be it," Kurama smiled. "I understand now."

"How could you possibly understand?" Hiei spat, his fists clenched and eyes narrowed. "Do you know what it feels like to have one infuriating woman constantly in your head, to find yourself worrying over her, and for the first time in your life, to actually care about someone else's well-being? Do you know what it's like to make her hate you enough to leave because, in the end, it's the only thing you can do? Because even if she might have been the only person you were capable of feeling for, you weren't right for her?" He shook his head and narrowed his eyes. "I would never expect you to understand, so don't think about categorizing this in such simplistic terms. Lust is nothing more than a physical attraction and then moving on. She was the one woman I didn't want to get over. So don't tell me it was just fucking lust, Kurama, because I think by now I'd know the difference between lust and love-"

Hiei froze, unable to believe he had said that, and to Kurama no less. He quickly turned around, intent on avoiding his smug partner at all cost. He immediately began thinking of ways to correct his blunder, but he realized it was too late to take the words back. He said the very thing that they both knew was true, the very thing he had been trying to ignore all along: he was in love with Botan.

Without even realizing it, his hand involuntarily wandered over to his chest. It was beating rapidly and he mentally cursed both his mind and body for being so weak.

"I imagine you'd be blushing quite profusely now," Kurama mused, breaking Hiei out of his thoughts. "That sounded dangerously close to a confession of love, sans the angered tone and a few choice words, you realize?"

"Kurama…" Hiei all but growled as he rounded on his partner with an irate look on his face.

"Please, Hiei, we do not have time for this," Kurama reminded, the smile now gone from his face. "Botan will be leaving soon and you have to decide what you want to do, although it is fairly obvious."

"I can't do that, Kurama."

"If this is because of Yomi, you don't have to worry about him anymore. The only reason he wanted you separated from Botan was because he knew she would help you out financially. He underestimated her selflessness. He didn't expect that after cutting ties with her, she would still be willing to aid you. In Yomi's world, the one with the wealth makes the rules; the ball is in our court now, Hiei."

Hiei shook his head.

"This isn't about him, is it?" Kurama said slowly. "You don't think she will accept you after the way you treated her."

Hiei glared at Kurama, and that one look was all the redhead needed to verify his assumptions. He sighed before continuing. "You can at least try, Hiei. You don't want to end up regretting this for the rest of your life," Kurama advised and Hiei found it strangely reminiscent of Botan's words when she urged him to visit his mother. "A long time ago you told me regret was one thing you refused to live with. Don't go back on your principles because of fear."

As usual, Kurama was right and now that he thought about it, the more he tried to handle things alone, the more he ended up needing others to intervene. He needed Botan's advice concerning his mother, and now he needed Kurama's words to make him come to terms with his feelings for Botan. He decided he would be the one to make his own decisions from now on, rather than having others force him to come to terms with what was already in his heart.

That being said, he had promised himself long ago that fear and regret would be absent in his life, and in that one moment, everything became clear and the solution was simple. If he didn't want Botan to leave, all he had to do was stop her. He made a decision and he would see it through to the end.

"I am not afraid of anything, nor have I ever regretted any of my actions in the past," Hiei said finally, feeling a lot like his former self.

"And today will be no different," Kurama reassured, noting the determined look in his friend's eyes.

"…"

"Would it be presumptuous of me to take your silence as a yes?"

"Everything that you say is presumptuous; it's just part of your bothersome character, fox…"

"You'll go?" Kurama asked hopefully, ignoring Hiei's comment.

"Hn."

Suddenly, the door burst open and the two turned their heads to see Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Shizuru standing there with smug looks on their faces.

"The way Kurama twists everybody's will to fit is own is just priceless," Yusuke mocked. "And Hiei took the bait hook, line and sinker."

"Exactly how long have you all been standing there?" Kurama asked.

"Since the moment you walked through the door," Shizuru answered, as if nothing was wrong with their eavesdropping.

Hiei glared at the trio, not entirely surprised by Yusuke and Kuwabara's antics. He never expected Shizuru would join in on their idiocy, though.

"Don't look at us like that, Hiei. It takes a true man to admit his feelings," Kuwabara said, his sincerity overshadowed by the amused grin on his face.

"You realize I blame you for this, don't you?" Hiei grumbled in disdain as he crossed his arms.

"I know." Kurama sighed before running a hand through his hair. "But you will thank me… eventually."

Hiei's gaze settled on Kurama's hand as it trailed down from his hair, to resting at his side and his face twisted in confusion. "What is that ridiculous thing on your finger?" Hiei asked as he pointed to the string.

"This?" Kurama asked as he examined it before shoving the hand into his pocket, and sending a glance over in Shizuru's direction. "I believe it's called the red string of fate."

"Forget I even asked," Hiei muttered, noting the way Shizuru turned around when Kurama looked at her. "I can't afford to waste anymore time on you fools."

"Hey, wait up for us!" Yusuke hollered as he ran out behind Hiei, followed shortly after by Kuwabara.

"Shall we follow suit?" Kurama asked.

Shizuru nodded with a smirk. "I definitely don't want to miss this."

Botan sat down in a chair, making sure she had everything set. Her passport, money, ID, luggage, phone, communication mirror—she paused. She didn't need it anymore, she wasn't an employee at Jaganshi Corp., but for some reason, she couldn't give it up. She decided to keep it as a memento of her times there.

"Botan!"

She turned to find Shura running towards her, Yomi walking a few feet behind him.

"Shura? What are you doing here?"

"We heard you were leaving," Yomi cut in. "I just thought it would be polite to see you off."

"There's no need to do that," Botan admitted, her gaze settling on Shura, instead of Yomi.

"I came to ask if you would accept a job offer at my firm," he mentioned abruptly, causing Botan to gasp in shock. "I heard you were currently unemployed and, as an old friend, I thought I should at least do this for you."

Botan frowned, not wanting to be rude when Shura was around. "I appreciate the offer, but … I think I'll decline."

"Very well, then. I'll leave you two to say your goodbyes." The man turned around and walked out of sight and Botan immediately felt relieved. She looked down at Shura and smiled.

"Well, that was awfully nice of you to see me off!" She patted his head and ruffled his hair.

Shura removed her hand from his hair and glared at her. "You were going to leave without even telling me?"

Botan shot him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, it's a good thing you came, I really would have regretted not saying goodbye to you!"

"Hmph." Shura crossed his arms haughtily.

Botan just smiled before remembering something and fishing in her purse. "Tada!" She pulled out a lollipop and handed it to him.

"Why are you leaving?" Shura asked suddenly, the lollipop in his hand long forgotten.

"I… I just want to do something different with my life."

"You didn't like it here?"

"That's not it, I just…" Botan trailed off.

"Do you have to leave?"

Botan nodded slowly, suddenly remembering why she didn't want Hinageshi or Koenma to accompany her to the airport. If they did, it would have been much harder to go.

"But you can't go…" the boy said as he looked down at his feet, a faint blush staining his cheeks.

"Yes, the brat is right. You cannot go."

"I-" Botan froze. That wasn't Shura's voice, it was the same man who had been haunting her every thought and she turned around to see him standing before her. "Hiei?"

"Erase those silly notions of leaving from your head, onna. You aren't going anywhere."

"I don't understand. Why are you here?" Botan asked, thoroughly confused by his sudden appearance. Her gaze softened as it settled on him and she remembered Kurama's words. Hiei had only been trying to protect her when he pushed her away; in some small way he cared, at least.

"You invested a lump sum into the company and now you own a large portion of Jaganshi Corp." Hiei watched as she gasped in shock and continued. "It is only natural that you continue living here."

"You don't understand!" Botan shook her head stubbornly, the sudden news catching her off-guard. "It was a donation! I don't _intend_ on owning anything!"

"And I don't _intend_ on accepting handouts," Hiei countered sternly. "Either you remain here and fulfill your duties, or I rip up the check."

"I can't believe you would be so stubborn!" Botan exclaimed as she crossed his arms and glared at him. She couldn't keep up the angry façade for long and her stiff frown quickly became nothing more than a pout. "You haven't changed one bit," she noted.

"Hn." The very fact that his assistant was standing in front of him was having strange effects on his mood. He felt more at ease than he had in a long time and he knew that she was the reason for it.

"Is that the only reason why you refuse to let me leave?" Botan asked, immediately wishing she hadn't. Everything with Hiei was strictly business and this was nothing but a deal. She donated a substantial amount of money and now he was entitled to include her in the workings of the corporation. There was nothing more to it.

"No," Hiei answered honestly.

His response startled her and she couldn't help the wide-eyed look she gave him.

"You should know," Hiei began, more solemn than before. "What I said before was all lies. I didn't mean any of it."

"I know, Kurama filled me in," Botan admitted. "I wish you would have just told me, Hiei. You know how I feel about you and that should have been enough for you to realize I would have stayed by your side no matter what anyone else said."

At the sight of his smirk, she realized she had inadvertently confessed her feelings again and tried to retract her previous statements.

"I-I mean… I know you can't reciprocate my feelings, and I'm completely fine with that. As long as we can remain friends, that's good enough for me."

"It's not enough for me," Hiei declared and Botan shot him a questioning glance. He swallowed hard and continued, his eyes never once faltering in its intense gaze. "You're infuriating, onna. I thought what I wanted more than anything was to get rid of you and all of the problems that seemed to stem from your presence. But when you were gone, all I thought about was _you_."

It was at this moment that Shura chose to make a revoltingly loud smack of his lips as he pulled the lollipop out of his mouth, and Hiei paused for a moment to glare at the child before continuing.

"The point is, I didn't really know what I wanted back then." Hiei took one final step closer. "But I know what I want now," a smirk graced his lips as he continued. "And when I set my sights on something, I do not hesitate to take it."

"A-and what might that be?" Botan asked, her heart picking up its pace at his sudden proximity.

"You," Hiei said in a low voice as he pulled her against him, without so much as a warning, and kissed her full on the lips.

"Hiei, I-"

"-Don't speak," he ordered as he leaned in to resume what he started.

"Not in front of the kid, guys!" Yusuke berated as he covered Shura's eyes with a hand.

Immediately, Botan broke away, only to see the rest of them standing there. "You guys came?"

"Of course we came, you didn't think we'd actually let you leave, did you?" Shizuru admonished, her stern voice countered by the warm smile on her face.

"Do you really have to go?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yeah now that you and jerk-face here made up, there's no reason for you to leave," Yusuke mentioned. "I mean you can't exactly skip the country once he tells you he likes you. It would break his cold little heart!"

Hiei sent a glare in Yusuke's direction and Yusuke merely grinned in response.

She looked back at Hiei and blushed. "I suppose… I could stay."

"If you're staying, then I wasted a whole day coming here!" Shura complained with a sigh. They all turned to him and he glared at Botan.

Botan laughed sheepishly. "I'm sorry?"

"Don't even think about leaving without tell me first, okay?" He pointed the lollipop in his hand in her direction and then popped it into his mouth.

She merely nodded in response and without another word he ran off in search of his father.

"Well, I guess I can't leave now…" Botan said as she watched his small form disappear within the crowd.

"It's settled then." Yusuke patted her back sincerely. "You're stuck with us."

Botan smiled.

"Did he come here on his own, or did his father accompany him?" Kurama asked cautiously.

"Oh, that's right! Yomi came along and offered me a job at his company, it was rather odd," Botan mentioned with a frown.

"It was nothing but a last ditch effort. He must have realized you were the one who donated the money to Jaganshi Corp, therefore no longer caring if he revealed your identity to the media. He recognized you were a greater threat than he previously thought, and without the leverage he once held over you, he was at risk. Consider it nothing more than a false show of good-will in order to save himself," Kurama revealed. "I had a feeling he would do something of that nature."

"Sounds just like him," Kuwabara mumbled.

"Yeah, well in any case I'm glad that the bastard had to come here and beg for you to work for him!" Yusuke exclaimed. "Serves him right."

"He didn't exactly beg, Yusuke," Botan corrected. "It was more of an offer…"

"Same difference!" Yusuke waved his hand indifferently.

"Now things can finally get back to normal, Hiei's been in such a bad mood ever since you left!" Kuwabara revealed.

"Really?" the blue-haired woman asked inquisitively as she glanced over at Hiei, who was turned away from the rest of them with his arms crossed.

"Yeah!" Kuwabara exclaimed. "I mean, he normally is a crabby guy, but without you he seems a hundred- no, a thousand times worse!"

Hiei, who had just about enough of the other's stupidity as he could take, sent a glare in Kuwabara's direction before he turned towards Kurama. "Have you handled everything back at the office?" Hiei suddenly asked and Kurama nodded.

"The employees have been informed and all of the money has been divvied up and secured in its proper place," the redhead smiled. "From here on, things should run smoothly."

"Good," Hiei said as he grabbed Botan's hand and used his free arm to hold her luggage. "We're leaving." Without so much as a goodbye to the others, Hiei led her in the direction of the exit.

"You're taking me home, Hiei? That's awfully nice of you!" Botan noted with a grin as she closed her fingers around his hand in return.

"We're going to my place," he replied curtly.

"Why would we go there?" Botan stopped in her tracks, halting Hiei as well.

Hiei smirked. "You'll find out soon enough."

"I should probably go home and tell Hinageshi that I'm not leaving…" Botan mentioned and then her face brightened as the thought suddenly occurred to her. "I get it, you're going to take me to see my baby! He's been missing me, hasn't he? Oh, that is so sweet of you, Hiei!"

His smirk deepened. "That among other things…"

"Other things?"

"Yes, onna. _Many_ other things," Hiei replied, his smirk taking on an almost sinister quality.

Botan tried to understand the meaning behind his words and just shrugged, giving up. Hiei truly was a mystery and that she could never figure out, anyway. She turned back to the others and waved with her free hand. "I'll see you all tomorrow!"

"Yeah, if Hiei's finished ravaging her by then…" Yusuke muttered under his breath.

"Urameshi!" Kuwabara wailed, covering his ears. "I did not need to hear that!"

"What? It's true!" Yusuke defended.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we needed a verbal conformation of it," Shizuru mentioned deadpanned as she rubbed her temples.

"I agree," Kurama added.

"You're all just a bunch of prudes!" Yusuke exclaimed, drawing more attention to himself and the group as people began to outright stare at them.

She couldn't make out most of their conversation, but from what she could tell, they were arguing and Botan couldn't help but shake her head knowingly. After getting tangled up with Hiei and his group, life certainly became unpredictable. She honestly had no clue what the future held for her, but she no longer cared. As long as they remained constants in her life, it really didn't matter what was thrown her way. Somehow, she just knew, everything would be alright.

--

So I had some trouble figuring out how to end this story. I kept on changing things around because I just wasn't happy with some parts, but I think this is good enough. It feels right. In the end, everything works out for them! Yomi's off their backs, the company is stable, and all the relationships are set. Yay!

Well, guys, it was fun! This story was my first AU ever and I really enjoyed writing it. =] I'm gonna miss you guys and your hilarious/kind/supportive comments, but it's about damn time this story ended! After so many years, I kind of don't want to end it, but at the same time I'm eager to get back to writing in the YYH universe. [Maybe when I get bored w/ the YYH universe, I'll write one-shots about this story, so this might not be the last thing you ever read concerning 'Unpredictable'.]

Anyways, thanks for all the reviews and support, and I'm so happy people actually liked it. You all rock! And once again, I'm sorry for all the delays and gaps in between chapters. For my next story [The Dark Tournament one] I've already finished a large chunk of it, so there won't be such long waits!

Thanks again, guys!  
MystiK~


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